Tim Bresnan is accused of utilizing racist slur about Azeem Rafiq’s sister on first day of Yorkshire racism listening to, with ECB claiming fellow Ashes hero Matthew Hoggard was discriminatory to Asian gamers
- ECB set out their case in opposition to Bresnan and Hoggard on first day of listening to
- Duo charged with bringing the sport into disrepute through the use of racist language
- Ex-Yorkshire gamers deny the allegations and are being tried of their absence
Former England bowler Tim Bresnan was on Wednesday accused of calling Azeem Rafiq’s sister a ‘match P***’ or ‘FP’ because the ECB claimed he and fellow Ashes winner Matthew Hoggard have been central to a ‘prevailing environment’ of racism at Yorkshire.
The duo are being tried of their absence at a listening to of the ECB’s cricket self-discipline fee after withdrawing because of considerations over the equity of the method. Each deny the allegations.
On the primary day of the listening to, the ECB set out their case in opposition to Bresnan and Hoggard, two of seven former Yorkshire gamers charged with bringing the sport into disrepute through the use of racist language.
Richard Pyrah, Andrew Gale and John Blain have additionally withdrawn and Gary Ballance has pleaded responsible to calling Rafiq ‘P***’, leaving former England captain Michael Vaughan as the one ex-player to contest the ECB’s prices.
Bresnan was accused of utilizing the derogatory time period ‘match P***’ to explain Rafiq’s sister, Amna, at Headingley on an official media day in April 2014 within the presence of Rafiq. It was alleged he used the identical phrase about an Asian lady within the bar of a Birmingham lodge the place the Yorkshire crew have been staying in July 2018. The allegations have been denied in his preliminary response to the costs.
Tim Bresnan has been accused of utilizing a racist remark in direction of Azeem Rafiq’s sister
ECB declare Matthew Hoggard was central to a ‘prevailing environment’ of racism at Yorkshire
The ECB additionally claimed Bresnan used the time period ‘the brothers’ in direction of Asian team-mates together with Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Pakistan quick bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, earlier than a T20 match in opposition to Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in June 2009. It was additionally claimed he insulted Asian gamers by saying issues equivalent to, ‘What are the brothers doing for dinner?’ from 2008 to 2014, and within the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Bresnan has admitted utilizing the time period ‘brothers’ however says he didn’t intend it in any racial or discriminatory context. He claims the phrase was used within the Yorkshire dressing room, however predominantly by gamers of an ethnic minority as a ‘time period of endearment and friendship’.
Hoggard was alleged by the ECB to have stated, ‘You P****s are all the identical’, and, ‘You lot sit over there’, when referring to Rafiq and different Asian gamers within the Yorkshire squad in 2008. The ECB additionally claimed Hoggard was being discriminatory when he referred to Rafiq as ‘Rafa the Kaffir’ — a South African insult — in the course of the 2008 season.
Hoggard has accepted utilizing the time period, however denied it carried a racist that means. He claimed it was used to indicate an individual of Muslim religion who didn’t strictly conform to Islamic educating.
Hoggard has admitted utilizing the P-word and ‘token black man’ however denies any racist or discriminatory intent.
The ECB’s lead prosecutor, Jane Mulcahy KC, stated using such phrases confirmed proof of a ‘prevailing environment at Yorkshire County Cricket Membership on the related time wherein this phrase was generally used’.
