Tim Bresnan has been accused of utilizing a racist remark in the direction of Azeem Rafiq’s sister whereas the England and Wales Cricket Board instructed a disciplinary committee it was ‘extra possible than not’ three former Yorkshire gamers used racist or discriminatory language.
The Cricket Disciplinary Committee’s public listening to into former Yorkshire participant Rafiq’s allegations of racism started in London on Wednesday with the instances of Matthew Hoggard, Bresnan and John Blain heard.
The previous Yorkshire trio all deny a cost of discrediting the sport and allegations of utilizing racial or discriminatory language.
ECB lawyer Jane Mulcahy KC stated it was “extra possible than not” that every of the three members used the alleged racist phrases – which included a slur particularly regarding the gamers’ Pakistani heritage – to a variety of causes, together with the systemic use of racial slurs. or discriminatory language through the related interval in Yorkshire.
Through the first day of proceedings, it was alleged that Bresnan used a racial slur in opposition to Rafiq’s sister, Amna, in 2014.
Bresnan, Mulcahy stated, allegedly directed a time period – describing look and race – at Asian girls, together with Rafiq’s sister Amna, at an official media day in Yorkshire.
He additionally allegedly used offensive language to consult with Rafiq and his Asian teammates Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.
Bresnan denies the allegations. He stated one of many phrases was used however not in a racial or discriminatory context. He detailed his use of the time period in WhatsApp messages or group chats as a part of his protection.
He additionally insisted he had no recollection of utilizing the opposite phrase he allegedly used to explain the group of gamers throughout a recreation in opposition to Derbyshire and claimed to have by no means met Amna Rafiq.
However Mulcahy insisted for every alleged cost that “on the steadiness of chances it’s extra possible than not that he used the expression and that it was racist or discriminatory”.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan, Hoggard, Bresnan, Blain, Andrew Gale and Richard Pyrah all face fees associated to the usage of racially discriminatory language, with Vaughan the one one to seem in individual on the listening to.
Yorkshire admitted 4 amended fees and Gary Ballance admitted one cost which meant the 2 weren’t required to take part.
Mulcahy set out the allegations in opposition to former England bowler Hoggard, which included the creation and use of a variety of racist phrases and in addition referring to Rafiq and different gamers in a racist method.
Mulcahy then supplied to “appropriate a variety of misrepresentations” made by Hoggard, Bresnan and Richard Pyrah, who refused to attend the listening to with Blain and Gale.
She stated the ECB wrote to Pyrah on February 9 final yr and obtained a “very detailed” response on February 20. He then requested an interview, which befell on April 8.
Bresnan additionally claimed to not have been interviewed, which the ECB stated was “manifestly incorrect” as a result of he has a transcript of the interview.
Hoggard made an analogous request, with the ECB saying he “had been given the chance to supply written responses to the allegations, which he did, earlier than informing the ECB that he didn’t intend to reply extra”.
The ECB additionally identified that the 5 non-participants had “disadvantaged themselves of the chance to problem Rafiq’s allegations” by withdrawing from the method.
Bresnan’s case was heard within the afternoon session, however solely after witnesses Rafiq, Meena Botros, Ismail Dawood and James Buttler had been referred to as earlier than the panel solely to go away as soon as they confirmed their signatures on their witness statements.
The Blain case ended proceedings with the previous Yorkshire bowler who allegedly referred to Pakistani gamers utilizing racial slurs throughout pre-season coaching in 2010.
In accordance with Rafiq, Blain justified the allegedly racist time period by explaining that it was the identical as “calling a Brit a Brit”.
Majid Haq will testify on Friday, however his witness assertion was learn out and he alleged Blain used the phrase in 2007.
Haq insisted he challenged Blain, who allegedly defended himself by saying he would describe an Australian as Australian and use the time period Kiwi to explain somebody from New Zealand.
Blain denied the allegations or that the dialog ever befell.
Mulcahy once more alleged “it was extra possible than not” that Blain used racial or discriminatory language.
#Tim #Bresnan #accused #court docket #making #racist #feedback #Yorkshire #teammate #Azeem #Rafiqs #sister #Cricket #Information