Michael Vaughan racism verdict – LIVE: Ex-England captain cleared at Yorkshire hearing
Michael Vaughan #MichaelVaughan
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has been cleared of using racist or discriminatory language towards a group of players, including Azeem Rafiq, after a hearing in London.
Vaughan was charged by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) with making a racist comment towards Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan before a Yorkshire game in 2009.
Vaughan, who had denied making the comment, announced on social media that he has now been cleared of the charge by the Cricket Discipline Committee (CDC) panel and posted a lengthy statement urging people not to overlook the problem of racism in cricket despite the outcome.
Michael Vaughan racism verdict – live updates
The verdict on charges against Tim Bresnan 11:34 , Michael Jones
Tim Bresnan has been found guilty of certain charges, not guilty of others and the panel found that one charge was neither proved nor disproved.
Charge 1 – Used the term “the brothers”:
a) towards Azeem Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naved ul-Hasan during the warm-up prior to a T20 Cup match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on 22 June 2009;
Verdict: Not statisfied on balance of probabilities
b) towards Asian players at Yorkshire by saying things like “what are the brothers doing for dinner?” between 2008 and 2014 (inclusive) and/or 2017 and/or 2018; and/or 2. the term “you lot”:
Verdict: not proved
Charge 2 – Used the term “you lot:
a) towards Mr Rafiq and Mr Rashid in the dressing room at Headingley prior to a County Championship match between Yorkshire and Derbyshire on 15 August 2012;
Verdict: not proved
b) towards Moin Ashraf at the T20 Finals Day against Hampshire on 25 August 2012 in the context “why do you lot pray before you bowl”;
Verdict: not proved
c) towards Asian players at Yorkshire on other occasions at Headingley between 2008 and 2014 (inclusive) and/or 2017 and/or 2018;
Verdict: proved
Charge 3 – Used the terms “fit P—” and/or “FP”:
a) referring to Amna Rafiq at Headingley on an official Yorkshire media day in April 2014 whilst in Mr Rafiq’s presence; and/or
b) about an Asian woman whilst sat at the Yorkshire team’s hotel bar with Mr Rafiq in Birmingham the evening before a T20 match against Warwickshire on 7 July 2018; and/or
c) about Asian women on other occasions in the Yorkshire environment in 2014 and/or 2017 and/or 2018.
Verdict: proved
Anjan Luthra claims lobbyists undermining attempts to improve Cricket Scotland 11:17 , Michael Jones
Anjan Luthra claimed attempts to improve Cricket Scotland were being undermined by lobbyists after he resigned as chairman in the wake of major criticism of his and the organisation’s attempts to tackle racism.
Luthra has quit less than six months after being appointed and several days after four members of Cricket Scotland’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion advisory group resigned over a perceived lack of progress in making change.
The outgoing chairman had been heavily criticised the previous week for claiming “significant progress” was being made in the ongoing response to a report in July last year which uncovered 448 examples of institutional racism. Cricket Scotland was the subject of further criticism in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.
Anjan Luthra claims lobbyists undermining attempts to improve Cricket Scotland
Three charges proved against Matthew Hoggard 11:09 , Michael Jones
Former England and Yorkshire swing bowler Matthew Hoggard has seen three of the four charges against him proved by the CDC report.
Charge 1 – Using the term “Rafa the Kaffir”: (a) creating and using the nickname on the day of Azeem Rafiq’s first team debut for Yorkshire on 27 June 2008 during a T20 Cup match against Nottinghamshire; and/or (b) using it on other occasions towards Mr Rafiq from 27 June 2008 until leaving Yorkshire in 2009
Verdict: proved
Charge 2 – Using he term “P—” towards and/or about Mr Rafiq and other Asian players, in contexts such “you P— are all the same” and “is it because I’m a P—”, during the 2008 cricket season in the Yorkshire dressing room.
Verdict: proved
Charge 3 – Using the term “you lot” when referring to Mr Rafiq and other Asian players in the Yorkshire squad in the Yorkshire dressing room, in contexts such as “you lot sit over there”, in the 2008 and/or 2009 season.
Verdict: not proved
Charge 4 – Using the term “TBM” and/or “token black man” towards Ismail Dawood in 2004 and/or 2005 in the Yorkshire environment.
Verdict: proved
Hoggard did not appear at the hearing but admitted to charges 2 and 4 before the CDC made their own verdicts.
John Blain to appeal 11:03 , Michael Jones
John Blain was among those found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute by the CDC report is the first of those facing sanctions to announce that he will appeal.
The CDC found claims he used the term “P—” in 2010 or 2011 as “proved”.
He told Telegraph Sport in response: “I’ll continue to fight this by whatever means are available. I guess there will be an appeals process and a subsequent process after that will have to be also considered.
“I’ve always said that I wouldn’t rule out having to go to the High Court to contest this because it’s a huge miscarriage of justice. It’s unfair and very difficult to digest when I’ve done nothing. I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong and that’s the hardest thing.”
Why was Vaughan cleared? 10:58 , Michael Jones
One of the stand out parts of the full report into the CDC hearings is the inconsistencies in the testimony of Azeem Rafiq’s allegations.
Rafiq’s initial allegations were that Vaughan said: “There’s too many of you lot, we need to have a word about that“ but in the intial investigation by Yorkshire, Rafiq said the words were: “Too many of you lot, we need to do something about it“ and in a employment tribunal claim he said the phrase was: “There’s too many of you lot, we need to do something about it.”
By the time of the CDC hearing last month, Rafiq’s witness statement said the comment was “There’s too many of you lot. We need to have a word about that“.
The report into the Vaughan verdict states: “Given the specific nature of the allegation, these inconsistencies are significant, not least since these are matters which are being recalled some 11 years and more later. Moreover they also have an impact upon the clarity with which [Rafiq] states that he recalls the matter.”
Concluding remarks in Michael Vaughan’s case 10:53 , Michael Jones
The CDC heard, read and watched a whole heap of evidence both for and against Michael Vaughan making a racist remark to four Asian players featuring for Yorkshire in 2009.
The concluding remarks of the CDC read: “These findings do not in any way undermine the wider assertions made by AZR [Azeem Rafiq], many of which of course have been confirmed by the admissions of both YCCC and certain individuals, as well as by other findings of this Panel. 97.
“However the Panel has been required to concentrate on the focussed evidence presented to it by both parties in respect of one comment, made in two parts, on an afternoon now nearly 14 years ago.
“This is not a case which necessitated a conclusion from the Panel that anyone has lied or acted out of malice. Far from it, the Panel had to consider whether the case as presented to it by the ECB, in light of all the evidence, was sufficiently accurate and reliable, on the balance of probabilities, to rule out mistake. It was not.”
ECB releases full report 10:46 , Michael Jones
The ECB has released the full report on the charges against Michael Vaughan and five other members of Yorkshire CCC who were accused of making racist remarks towards Azeem Rafiq and other Asian players.
The document is 82 pages long and explains how the CDC came to the decision to clear Michael Vaughan.
Verdict explanation expected soon 10:33 , Michael Jones
More detail from the ECB on how the verdicts were reached is expected to be released shortly as well as the verdicts on the other players that faced charges during the CDC hearings.
Michael Vaughan cleared of using racist language after Yorkshire racism hearing 10:26 , Michael Jones
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has been cleared of using racist or discriminatory language towards a group of players, including Azeem Rafiq, after a hearing in London.
Vaughan was charged by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) with making a racist comment towards Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan before a Yorkshire game in 2009.
It was alleged that the 48-year-old, who led England in 51 Tests, said to the quartet, who are of Asian ethnicity: “There’s too many of you lot, we need to have a word about that.”
Vaughan, who had denied making the comment, has now been cleared of the charge by the Cricket Discipline Committee (CDC) panel.
Michael Vaughan cleared of using racist language towards Azeem Rafiq
Vaughan cleared of making racist remark 10:17 , Michael Jones
Michael Vaughan has been cleared of using racist language while a Yorkshire player in 2009 following the verdicts delivered by the Cricket Discipline Commission.
Michael Vaughan’s statement in full 10:15 , Michael Jones
“It has been both difficult and upsetting to hear about the painful experiences which Azeem has described over the past 3 years.
“The outcome of these CDC proceedings must not be allowed to detract from the core message that there can be no place for racism in the game of cricket, or in society generally.
“As with others who have spoken about their time at Yorkshire, I can only speak of my own experiences and of my own time there. The dismissal of the specific charge that concerned me takes nothing away from Azeem’s own lived experiences.
“The hearing made public that Azeem and I met eighteen months ago, well before the CDC proceedings came into existence. I told him then that I am sorry for his unacceptable, negative experiences at the club I love and in the sport I love. We had what I thought was a really positive and constructive discussion. We shook hands with a shared intention to work together in order to create positive change in cricket.
“For my part, nothing has altered in that respect.
“There is still a job to do and I remain keen to help bring about positive change in any way that I can. Cricket has been my life. Particularly with an issue such as this, CDC proceedings were an inappropriate, inadequate and backwards step. One of many reasons why I hold that view is because CDC proceedings are adversarial. They invite claim and counterclaim.
“They invite those involved to accuse each other of untruths or of lying. The inevitable consequence of the ECB’s decision-making was that 3 former teammates, one of whom is a current England international player, were pitted against one another in what later became a public forum for the world at large to see.
“Despite being criticised by the ECB for not accusing others of lying, I remain of the view that no good can come of that approach. There are no winners in this process and there are better ways – there have to be better ways – for cricket to move forward positively and effectively.
“I have never wanted to do anything that runs contrary to genuine efforts to clean up the game of cricket. I truly hope people can understand why, on a personal level, I could not just accept, or apologise for, something which I know I did not do.
“At times, this process has brought me to the brink of falling out of love with cricket. I won’t address here the toll that it has taken on me and my family, but I have no doubt that it has also been incredibly stressful for all of the others concerned. I hope that for them and for cricket, an inclusive healing process can now begin.
“Now that the ECB’s charge against me has been dismissed, I want to thank the panel for their careful attention in very difficult circumstances and to thank all of those who have given me their support during an incredibly difficult period in my life .”
‘There is no place for racism in cricket’ 10:15 , Michael Jones
Michael Vaughan has released this statement reaffirming that there can be not place in cricket for racism:
What happened at the hearing? 10:12 , Michael Jones
On the first day of the hearing the judicial panel heard evidence against Tim Bresnan, Matthew Hoggard and John Blain.
Among other things, Bresnan was accused of referring to Azeem Rafiq’s sister as a “fit p—” and it was alleged that there was a “prevailing atmosphere” of racist abuse at Yorkshire.
On day two, Azeem Rafiq and Adil Rashid, the England leg-spinner, were cross-examined.
Inconsistencies emerged in the accounts of what exactly was said before the match versus Nottinghamshire in 2009 which is were the accusations against Michael Vaughan slot in.
Rafiq also had to deny that he had blackmailed Rashid into backing his version of events.
Sanctions not revealed today 10:07 , Michael Jones
The sanctions for any charges proven against Michael Vaughan or for any charges already admitted, will be announced at a later date.
The verdict, whether Vaughan is guilty or not will be revealed later but the effects of that for the former England captain will not be known today.
Chair and Director of Cricket Scotland resigns 09:57 , Michael Jones
Cricket Scotland has confirmed that Anjan Luthra had resigned as chair and director with immediate effect.
Azeem Rafiq had called for Luthra to step down last week after showing “a quite scary lack of respect to everyone”.
Luthra, who was only brought into the role in October 2022, recently claimed “significant progress” had been made around Cricket Scotland’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
However, Cricket Scotland has since been branded, by anti-racism campaign group Running Our Racism, as “unfit for purpose”, “tone deaf” and “arrogant”.
In his resignation letter, Luthra took shots at Sport Scotland for ‘meeting the demands of a lobby group and a handful of individuals.’
Vaughan’s cross-examination 09:53 , Michael Jones
There were six individuals charged with making racist remarks against Asian players at Yorkshire but only Michael Vaughan showed up at the hearing to defend himself against the accusations.
He was cross-examined by the ECB’s legal team were it emerged that six team-mates backed his version of events. Another witness claimed that Azeem Rafiq had warned him, albeit years before, that he would play the “race card”.
Vaughan’s legal team also cast severe doubt on the quality of the ECB’s investigation into the Ashes-winning captain when they claimed ECB investigators had not spoken to many of the people in and around the huddle where Vaughan’s comment was alleged to have been made.
Vaughan himself again denied the central claim, and said: “The comment I have been alleged to have said is a comment where a team-mate would not be able to perform to their maximum and that’s not what I’m about.”
What happened at the hearing? 09:49 , Michael Jones
Michael Vaughan’s lawyer, Christopher Stoner KC, described the ECB’s investigation of Azeem Rafiq’s allegations as “wholly inadequate”, during his defence of the former England captain.
He backed up that claim by saying the ECB failed to contact other players involved in the match [vs Nottinghamshire were Vaughan is said to have made the racist remark], the umpires or a Sky camera operator whose footage formed part of the evidence.
Meena Botros, the ECB’s director of legal and integrity, insisted under cross-examination by Stoner that the investigation had been thorough.
Jane Mulcahy KC, acting for the ECB, asserted that it was “inherently probable” that Vaughan made the comment saying the fact Vaughan shook hands with “only the Asian players” was telling.
“This action clearly signifies that he identifies the four cricketers as a distinct group, consistent with the words ‘you lot’.”
The ECB’s closing submission read: “Michael Vaughan cannot refute the words because he cannot remember saying them. Instead, he asserts he would not have said those words.”
The alleged comment, the ECB said, was made only a year before Vaughan sent some tweets which the 48-year-old later agreed were “completely unacceptable”.
“Those tweets were ostensibly light-hearted but in reality were offensive, as he also accepted,” added the submission. “His comment to the players on June 22, 2009, was in the same vein.”
Michael Vaughan set to learn verdict from Cricket Discipline Commission hearing 09:45 , Michael Jones
Michael Vaughan and five other individuals formerly connected to Yorkshire are set to discover later today whether charges against them linked to the use of racist or discriminatory language have been proven or not.
The decisions of the independent Cricket Discipline Commission panel are expected to be published on the England and Wales Cricket Board website at 10.30am.
Vaughan is alleged to have told a group of Yorkshire team-mates of Asian ethnicity there were “too many of you lot” before a T20 match against Nottinghamshire in 2009, a charge he categorically denies.
Michael Vaughan set to learn verdict from Cricket Discipline Commission hearing
Verdict to shape Vaughan’s ‘life and liveliehood’ 09:40 , Michael Jones
During the hearing that took place last month, Michael Vaughan’s lawyer, Christopher Stoner KC, told the panel that the shape of his client’s “life and livelihood” were at stake in this case.
When the allegations were first made Vaughan was asked to step down from his role as a commentator for the BBC’s Test Match Special and will probably not be allowed back should he be found guilty.
The decisions of the independent Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) panel are expected to be published on the ECB website at 10.30am.
Michael Vaughan racism verdict 09:37 , Michael Jones
Former England cricket captain, Michael Vaughan, will find out whether he is guilty of making a racist remark 14 years ago as the ‘Cricket Discipline Commission’ – three independent judges – make their ruling on if Vaughan told to a group of four Asian Yorkshire players: “There’s too many of you lot; we need to do something about it.”
The burden of proof in this case is the balance of probabilities, meaning that the judges must decide, essentially, whether Vaughan is likely to have made the remark. The original allegation came from Azeem Rafiq, a former Yorkshire spinner, who was one of the players to whom Vaughan is said to have directed the comment, before a white-ball match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 2009.
Vaughan has always denied the accusations and was the only individual charged who appeared in person at the CDC hearing held in public across four days earlier this month. Five other individuals charged – John Blain, Tim Bresnan, Andrew Gale, Matthew Hoggard and Richard Pyrah – all said before the hearing that they would not participate, with the charges against them heard in their absence.