Staff Reporter.
England bowler Adil Rashid says he heard Michael Vaughan make a racist comment to a group of Asian cricketers, becoming the third player to do so.
Rashid’s former Yorkshire team-mate Azeem Rafiq alleged Vaughan said “too many of you lot, we need to do something about it” to him and three other players.
The allegation, which Vaughan “completely and categorically denies”, was corroborated by former Pakistan bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who said “systematic taunting” occurred at the club.
In a statement to The Cricketer,Rashid said he could confirm what Rafiq had said.
The fourth player in the group – bowler Ajmal Shahzad – previously told the Daily Mail he had no recollection of the event and “the senior guys were really good to me”.
Former England captain Vaughan has been approached for comment.
He previously said, in a column for the Daily Telegraph, the comments were alleged to have been made in 2009 while he was still a player at Yorkshire.
Rashid, who has been at Yorkshire since 2006, released a statement after the T20 World Cup, where the leg-spinner helped England reach the semi-finals.
“Racism is a cancer in all walks of life and unfortunately in professional sports too, and is something which of course has to be stamped out,” he wrote.
“I wanted to concentrate as much as possible on my cricket and to avoid distractions to the detriment of the team but I can confirm Azeem Rafiq’s recollection of Michael Vaughan’s comments to a group of us Asian players.
“I’m encouraged by the fact a parliamentary committee seems to be trying to improve the situation, whether that’s holding people accountable or getting changes made at an institutional level.
“These can only be positive developments. I will of course be more than happy to support any official efforts when the time is right. For now, though, these matters are of an intensely personal nature and I will not be commenting on them further.”
Rafiq and former Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton will give evidence at a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee hearing on Tuesday.