Azeem Rafiq claims he has “been driven out of the country” since speaking out on racism

Azeem Rafiq claims that he has “been driven out of the country” since speaking out on racism!

Pakistan-born former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafique has claimed that the racism scandal in cricket is still being denied.

As reported, Azeem Rafiq appeared before the Digital, Culture, Media and Support Select Committee for the first time after giving disturbing evidence in November last year for facing racial harassment in cricket while living in England.

Read more: Azeem Rafiq’s emotional testimony about his experiences of racism at Yorkshire Cricket Club rocked the sports world

In his appearance before the committee, Azeem Rafiq, 31, highlighted the abuse that he and his family suffered due to harassment.

“If I put my hand on my heart and look back at the last 13 months, what has changed is that I and my family were kicked out of the country and that is a sad factor,” Azeem Rafiq said.

Karachi-born Rafiq had left England with his family last month, but he told the committee of the ill-treatment he had suffered and that it included a heinous act of a man who used to defecate outside his parents’ house.

“I would love to come here and tell you how much cricket has changed, but unfortunately it seems that cricket is busy denying it,” he said.

He said that there is still a group of people who think that cricket is suffering.

“The way I was abused and targeted, why would you talk about it, I have some hope from the new leadership of England cricket,” Azeem Rafiq said.

The club and several officials connected to the club were charged in June 2022 following an investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board, but the Cricket Disciplinary Commission will now consider whether the hearing should be held in public or in private.

It should be noted that Azim Rafiq first made accusations of racism and harassment in September 2020 in relation to playing twice for Yorkshire.

Earlier, in the hearing of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, the head of Yorkshire, Kamlesh Patel, accused the former leadership of the England Cricket Board that he was not supported on the reforms carried out in the county, which led him to face severe criticism.