LONDON: Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq will appear before British lawmakers on Tuesday with the chance to give an unvarnished account of his experiences of discrimination at the club that is engulfed in a racism scandal.
An independent report found the Pakistan-born player was a victim of “racial harassment and bullying” while Rafiq himself said he had been driven to thoughts of suicide over the way he was treated.
Although the county apologized, they said they would take no disciplinary action against any staff — a decision that was met with disbelief in many quarters.
Pakistan-born Rafiq, 30, will give evidence to MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee on Tuesday without fear of repercussions under parliamentary privilege.
Azeem tweeted a short video on Monday, with the message: “Time for TRUTHS!!“
The fallout for Yorkshire — one of England’s most successful and historic clubs — has been swift and devastating.
Sponsors have pulled out and the club has been suspended from hosting lucrative international matches.
Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton quit earlier this month and chief executive Mark Arthur followed him out of the exit door as the Headingley club grappled with the fallout from the crisis.
Subsequent allegations of racism have been made by other players, setting in motion additional investigations at Yorkshire and other clubs as the scandal spreads.
Hutton will also give evidence during the session, along with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Tom Harrison.
On Monday, current England spinner Adil Rashid joined ex-Pakistan Test player Rana Naved-ul-Hasan in alleging that former England Test captain Michael Vaughan had said in front of a group of Yorkshire players of Asian ethnicity in 2009: “Too many of you lot, we need to do something about it.”
Vaughan has again “categorically” denied making the comment.
“To be confronted with this allegation 11 years after it was supposed to have happened is the worst thing I have ever experienced,” he said in a statement.
Yorkshire player Rashid, who issued a statement on Monday via The Cricketer website, said the “cancer” of racism must be stamped out.
“I’m encouraged by the fact that 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,” he said.
New Yorkshire chairman Kamlesh Patel welcomed Rashid’s “courage in speaking up” and said he would be listening to the DCMS committee hearing with great interest.
“It is right that the issues which were initially brought up by Azeem Rafiq, and the way in which they were handled, are properly examined by the committee,” he said.
“We have provided the committee with a copy of the full report, given its legal interest in the case.”
It was still unclear on Monday afternoon who else from the Yorkshire leadership team would give evidence to the lawmakers.
Former chairman Hutton was listed to speak at 1015 GMT, after Rafiq at 0930 GMT.
Committee chairman Julian Knight pulled no punches earlier this month, saying the Yorkshire scandal was one of the “most repellent and disturbing episodes in modern cricket history.”
Rafiq says ‘time for truths’ as MPs probe cricket racism scandal
https://arab.news/nsaue
Rafiq says ‘time for truths’ as MPs probe cricket racism scandal
- An independent report found the Pakistan-born player was a victim of “racial harassment and bullying”
- Subsequent allegations of racism have been made by other players, setting in motion additional investigations at Yorkshire
Barca score wild comeback victory at Benfica
- With Benfica appealing for a penalty, Barcelona sprang a quick breakaway and the Brazilian winger slotted home to end a blockbuster clash
LISBON: Raphinha struck a dramatic winner in stoppage time as Barcelona came from behind to beat Benfica 5-4 in a wild match on Tuesday and virtually ensure direct qualification to the Champions League last 16.
Benfica were leading 4-2 with under 15 minutes remaining but Barcelona mounted a stunning late comeback to stay three points behind leaders Liverpool.
Vangelis Pavlidis hit a first-half hat-trick for the hosts, in part thanks to two big errors by Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
However a Robert Lewandowski double from the penalty spot, Eric Garcia’s header and a brace for Raphinha helped Barcelona claim a stunning late triumph in Lisbon.
Benfica opened the scoring in the second minute, when Pavlidis escaped Pau Cubarsi and fired home from Alvaro Carreras’ low cross.
Barcelona responded swiftly with Lewandowski scoring from the penalty spot after Alejandro Balde was brought down by Benfica defender Tomas Araujo.
The hosts nosed back ahead through a stroke of luck, when Szczesny raced out of his goal to try and cut out a through-ball, but crashed into Balde.
Greece international Pavlidis gleefully collected the loose ball and rolled his second into the empty net.
Barcelona, who lured Szczesny out of retirement to replace the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen in October, soon fell further behind.
Pavlidis completed his half-hour hat-trick with a penalty after another Szczesny mistake, with the goalkeeper flying in to try and dispossess Kerem Akturkoglu but bringing him down.
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha missed good chances before the break as Barcelona pushed forward.
Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin saved from Jules Kounde, who should have scored, and Lewandowski could not turn home from Pedri’s dangerous ball across the face of goal.
Raphinha pulled one back for Barcelona in bizarre fashion as a clearance by Trubin struck his head on the edge of the area and flew back into the net.
However, Benfica soon struck again, with Ronald Araujo nudging past Szczesny into his own net as he tried to cut out a cross.
Barcelona kept pushing and Lewandowski converted another penalty after Nicolas Otamendi brought down Yamal.
The Catalan giants, who last won the Champions League in 2015, pulled level when substitute Garcia headed home from Pedri’s inviting cross.
Szczesny saved former Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria’s low shot before Raphinha’s dramatic winner.
With Benfica appealing for a penalty, Barcelona sprang a quick breakaway and the Brazilian winger slotted home to end a blockbuster clash.
Monaco down Villa to boost Champions League qualification hopes
- Wilfried Singo’s early header was the difference between the teams as Villa tasted defeat for the first time in six outings in all competitions
- The defeat dropped Villa from fifth to seventh provisionally. They can qualify automatically for the last-16 with a top-eight finish
MONACO: Monaco ground out a 1-0 home win against Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday, denying the Premier League side the chance to all but book their spot in the round of 16.
Wilfried Singo’s early header was the difference between the teams as Villa tasted defeat for the first time in six outings in all competitions.
Monaco had only won two of their last 11 matches, including back-to-back defeats in the Champions League, but now have their eyes on securing progress to the knock-outs.
The defeat dropped Villa from fifth to seventh provisionally. They can qualify automatically for the last-16 with a top-eight finish.
“We started the Champions League not being favorites to finish in the top eight, and we still aren’t. Tonight we are disappointed,” said Villa manager Unai Emery.
Emery’s side host 21st-placed Celtic in their final league phase match next week.
Villa and Monaco are among nine teams on 13 points, ahead of the rest of this week’s matches, a pack headed by Arsenal in fourth place in the table with Monaco in ninth
Monaco conclude their league phase campaign with a visit to Italian champions Inter Milan — also on 13 points ahead of a visit to Prague on Wednesday — knowing nothing but a win will do to avoid a play-off spot.
“We have one match remaining which will be very difficult. We are going to go to Milan next week with a lot of ambition and to win,” said Singo.
Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s every touch was booed by the home support in the early stages — the crowd had not forgotten his role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup final victory over France.
To the delight of their fans, Monaco’s opener came after the Argentinian parried Thilo Kehrer’s header from a corner up into the air. Singo pounced to nod home from close range on eight minutes.
Martinez showed his class with a sprawling dive to claw away Maghnes Akliouche’s whipped effort shortly afterwards.
Villa came within inches of levelling in first-half added time following excellent build-up play by Emiliano Buendia, but Radoslaw Majecki got down quickly to deny Ollie Watkins.
At the start of the second period, Morgan Rogers flashed a strike narrowly wide, before Akliouche had a strike disallowed for offside.
Emery turned to Jhon Duran from the bench to give his side a spark, sending on the Colombian 11 minutes after the interval in place of winger Bailey.
With Watkins and Duran on the pitch together, Villa boasted a striking duo with 22 goals between in all competitions this term.
Rogers and Matty Cash combined to create Villa’s next chance, the right-back dragging his effort across goal and wide on 69 minutes.
Monaco looked the more likely to score in the final 20 minutes.
Aleksandr Golovin rippled the side netting from a tight angle in the 88th minute.
Duran then attempted a bicycle-kick in the crowded box in the 92nd minute, but his ambitious effort flew well over the bar as Monaco held firm.
“It was an important win,” said Monaco coach Adi Huetter. “I give compliments and praise to my team for how they fought.”
Al-Hilal win again while Ronaldo inspires Al-Nassr victory
- Al-Hilal defeat Al-Wehda 4-1 to stay top of the Saudi Pro League
- Cristiano Ronaldo nets twice to help Al-Nassr to 3-1 win at Al-Khaleej
JEDDAH: Al-Hilal moved three points clear of Al-Ittihad — who are in action at home to Al-Shabab on Wednesday — and were never in danger of dropping points as they netted twice in the first 11 minutes against Al-Wehda before recording a 4-1 verdict.
After only seven minutes Al-Wehda’s goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Owaishir spilled a shot from Ruben Neves and Marcos Leonardo — in red-hot form with eight goals in the previous five games — was on hand to react first to poke the ball home from close range.
Four minutes later it was 2-0. Salem Al-Dawsari picked up possession on the left, slipped the ball into Mohamed Kanno on the edge of the area and the midfielder found Malcom on the edge of the six-yard box. The Brazilian controlled the ball with his first touch and shot home with his second.
Fans in Riyadh sat back in the expectation of more goals but Al-Wehda kept it tight and restricted the scoreline to respectable levels. Malcom added a third with eight minutes remaining and Abdullah Al-Hamdan completed the scoring after Craig Goodwin had pulled one back for Al-Wehda.
Earlier, Al-Nassr moved above Al-Qadsiah into third following a 3-1 victory over Al-Khaleej, although the Yellows are 11 points behind their Riyadh rivals.
It was goalless at the break but Al-Khaleej were already a man down as Saeed Al-Hamsal had been red carded.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring midway through the second half, shooting home from the edge of the box for his 100th goal contribution for Al-Nassr.
Al-Khaleej equalized with 10 minutes remaining through Kostas Fortounis from the spot, but Al-Nassr restored their lead almost immediately thanks to Sultan Al-Ghannam.
Ronaldo then scored his 13th of the season in the eighth minute of added time, slotting home into an empty net after an unselfish pass from Saad Haqawi. The strike put the Portuguese star into first place in the goalscoring standings above Aleksandar Mitrovic and Karim Benzema.
Blocked from international football, Greenland will begin talks with CONCACAF
- The football-crazy Arctic Island, which US President Donald Trump said he wants to make part of the United States, has never played competitive international football
- Greenland had for years sought to become a member of UEFA
COPENHAGEN: Greenland’s Football Association will send a delegation to the United States next month to begin talks on entering North American soccer body CONCACAF, hoping it will boost national pride at a time of global attention.
The football-crazy Arctic Island, which US President Donald Trump said he wants to make part of the United States, has never played competitive international football.
Yet in May last year, it applied for membership of CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory under Denmark but geographically part of the North American continent, had for years sought to become a member of UEFA, European football’s governing body.
Now, Greenland has been invited by CONCACAF general secretary Philippe Moggio for a meeting on Feb. 27 at the body’s headquarters in Miami, according to the head of Greenland’s Football Association, Kenneth Kleist.
UEFA requires its members to be recognized as fully independent by the United Nations. CONCACAF allows autonomous territories to join.
The meeting will take place at a time of renewed US interest in the strategically important island and amid an increasing desire for independence from Denmark among the island’s population of just 57,000.
“The invitation is not related to the current geopolitical interest in Greenland,” Kleist said in a press release.
The world’s biggest island, with just 18 football pitches, would be the 42nd member of the continental association if approved. The outdoor season on the Arctic Island runs from May to August.
“It’s about standing tall and showing that the Greenlandic people are capable and brave enough to take on the big guys,” national head coach Morten Rutkjer told Reuters.
The national team is made up of amateurs playing only friendlies. Greenland is planning three matches later this year against smaller CONCACAF nations.
“There is significant interest in playing against us from several major football nations,” Rutkjer said.
Djokovic tames Alcaraz; Sabalenka keeps Melbourne hat trick alive
- The 37-year-old Serb, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam crown, outlasted the Spaniard, 16 years his junior, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 despite having his left thigh heavily strapped
MELBOURNE: Ageless Novak Djokovic won an epic generational clash against Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday to stay on track for an 11th Australian Open title with Alexander Zverev next in the semifinals.
The 37-year-old Serb, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam crown, outlasted the Spaniard, 16 years his junior, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 despite having his left thigh heavily strapped.
It was a vintage 3hrs 37mins performance and put him into the last four at Melbourne Park for a 12th time, with only Roger Federer (15) doing so more often.
The win also extended his all-time record for most Grand Slam semifinal appearances to 50, four clear of the Swiss great.
To reach another final, he will need to beat second seed Zverev, who battled into the last four for a second year running with a 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/0), 2-6, 6-1 win over American 12th seed Tommy Paul.
As the wind swirled, Djokovic opened with a commanding hold then broke immediately as Alcaraz struggled to find his range.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka battled through “unbelievable” windy conditions Tuesday to reach the Melbourne semifinals and keep her dream of an Australian Open hat-trick alive.
The world No. 1 faces Spain’s Paula Badosa for a place in the final after grinding past Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 at the Rod Laver Arena.
“The conditions were unbelievable. The wind was so strong. It was very difficult for both of us,” said Sabalenka, who can become the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1999 to win the Australian Open three years in a row.
If she does, she will join a select group of five women who have completed the Melbourne three-peat. The others are Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.
“I’m really happy that I put myself in this situation where I have the opportunity to become one of them,” said Sabalenka.
“To be next to those names, wow, that’s just a dream.”
The 11th seed Badosa earlier stunned world No. 3 Coco Gauff in straight sets to reach her maiden Grand Slam semifinal at the age of 27.
“She’s a great player and she has been through a lot. Now she’s back on her best game. I’m really happy to see that,” said Sabalenka of Badosa, who a year ago almost quit tennis because of a chronic back condition.
Sabalenka’s 19th win in a row at Melbourne Park turned into a battle for survival in increasingly blustery conditions.
