Ex England and Yorkshire cricketer Michael Vaughan has been cleared of all charges after being accused of using racist behaviour towards his ex-Yorkshire teammates, including Azeem Rafiq in a court hearing.
Vaughan was accused of saying “there’s too many of you lot, we need to have a word about that”.
The 49-year-old insists that he would never say such things and leave his teammates in a “bad state of mind just to win a game of cricket”.
However, ECB lawyer Jane Mulcahy told a Cricket Commission that the comment made by Vaughan was “in the same vein” as some of the tweets the cricketer posted at a similar time, and therefore it was “inherently probable” the words were said by the ex-Yorkshire star.
Rafiq, despite all of what’s gone on, has said he is open to meeting with Vaughan. ”Ultimately, it can’t be about me, it can’t be about Michael. This has got to be about the game and the game’s failings” the ex-off spinner said.
“The one thing I’ve always tried to do is try to get in a room and have conversations because we’re only going to get things better if humans start to have conversations with each other and get each other’s perspective”
Ex radio and TV journalist and now public speaker Grahame Lloyd on the situation says, “I’m pleased the lid has finally been lifted on this whole situation.
Maximum credit should go to Azeem Rafiq for his courage, bravery and strength, and also to the journalists that gave him a voice in the first place and allowed him to tell his story to the world”.
Vaughan wasn’t the only one on trial from the ECB, he was one of seven individuals who were charged by the board.
The others were John Blain, Tim Bresnan, Andrew Gale, Matthew Hoggard and Richard Pyrah and unlike Vaughan they were charged, although they were absent from court.
Former England international Gary Ballance, who retired from the game last month, was the one who faced the highest charge. An £8,000 fine and an eight-week playing suspension.
Yorkshire cricket club has admitted to four charges including a “Failure to address systemic use of racist and\or discriminatory language over a prolonged period”.
The club will face a further hearing on 27th June.