Yorkshire: Another ex-academy player details alleged racial abuse at the club

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Another former Yorkshire academy player has given BBC Sport an account of experiencing alleged racism from team-mates at the club as a 14-year-old.

Tabassum Bhatti says players urinated on his head, desecrated another Muslim player's prayer mat and used racist language aimed at his Pakistani heritage.

Bhatti signed for Yorkshire at the age of 14 in 1998.

"Something needs to be done. Enough is enough," he said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the club's new chairman Lord Patel said: "We need to listen to anyone who has experienced racism, discrimination and abuse at this cricket club, and I urge others to come forward to share their experiences.

"We are aware that, since I spoke yesterday, a number of allegations have been made from individuals about their experiences in the media. These need to be properly investigated.

"I announced that an independent whistleblowing hotline will be set up as quickly as possible, as a safe space for people to come forward with disclosures.

"Once it is operational - and I have asked for this to happen by the end of this week - this will be the first step to a new and dedicated process to receive and to respond directly to all allegations and concerns.

"We want anyone who may have suffered issues to come forward, and these will be considered carefully and with due diligence."

The England and Wales Cricket Board added: "There is no place for racism in cricket, or indeed in society. The Board has been clear that Yorkshire County Cricket Club's handling of the issues raised by Azeem Rafiq is wholly unacceptable, and that cricket must work together to eradicate discrimination.

"While much work has already been undertaken, we have been clear that there is still much more to do to make cricket the welcoming, inclusive sport we want to be."

Bhatti, 37, is the latest ex-player to allege he was racially abused at the club.

Former senior player Azeem Rafiq was a victim of "racial harassment and bullying", an investigation found, but Yorkshire responded by saying it would not discipline anyone.

Rafiq detailed his experiences at Yorkshire, which left him close to taking his own life, for the first time in September 2020.

In September 2021, a year after the former player went public with his allegations, Yorkshire released its own summary findings of the report and subsequently said no-one would be disciplined.

But the investigation was widely criticised after it reportedly found a racist term about Rafiq's Pakistani heritage was regularly used towards him while at the club and concluded it was "friendly and good-natured banter".

Chairman Roger Hutton resigned last Friday, and on Monday, Lord Patel took over, apologising to Rafiq and praising his "bravery" as a whistleblower.

Also on Monday, ex academy player Irfan Amjad said he was racially abused by a member of staff as a 16-year-old, while Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has also alleged racism at Yorkshire, saying "saying "systematic taunting" occurred at the club.

On Tuesday, Yorkshire announced that head coach Andrew Gale had been suspended as part of an investigation into a tweet he sent in 2010, and that director of cricket Martyn Moxon was absent from work because of a stress-related illness.

'It was like a joke to them'

Bhatti says racist comments "were fairly regular" during his time at the club as players "made fun of my appearance; skin colour".

He says while the specific racial slur targeted towards his Pakistani heritage was not said to his face, he "could hear players talking about me, talking about a black fellow player as well".

Recounting an alleged incident which took place at a hotel during an away game, Bhatti said: "I was in my room just minding my own business. I was on the phone to somebody leaning out of the hotel bedroom window and there were players in the hotel room above who decided to urinate on my head.

"I actually dropped the phone out of my hand and dropped down two or three storeys and they did then go and try and find the phone but, yeah they urinated on my head from their window above."

Bhatti says he knew who the players were as they visited his room afterwards, adding: "I did mention it to the coach at the time he said 'no look, don't worry about it, I'll deal with it' - obviously not."

The 37-year-old says he also heard "conversations between players about desecrating another Muslim player's prayer mat," adding: "This was like a joke to them."

Bhatti says hearing of Rafiq's case has encouraged him to speak up and believes "now's the time for change" with the appointment of Lord Patel.

"In my case, I was 14 and 15, for me to pluck up the courage - I didn't even tell my family," he said.

"Lord Patel, I think he's a man with morals. I firmly believe he's there to make a change because he's from the community as well but at the same time I get a feeling that it's a bit of damage limitation for the club," he added.

"I think change is without a doubt needed and it's from the top - from the ECB down. I don't think it's a Yorkshire problem either, I think this is happening across the country."

On Tuesday the UK government said it was ready to "step in" if Yorkshire and the ECB do not take "real action" following the Rafiq racism scandal.

Further details are expected to emerge at a Department for Culture, Media and Sport hearing on 16 November, which has parliamentary privilege, meaning those appearing can speak without fear of being sued for defamation.

"We need to identify who at the club is responsible, who's been involved, what change is needed," Bhatti said.

"We've always known that the club is racist, they're biased, they discriminate against ethnic minority players. So this is no secret to us.

"Hopefully the select committee can try and identify and come down on Yorkshire."

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