AZEEM Rafiq is reportedly set to leave Barnsley, and the UK in general, after the fall-out from him revealing a racism scandal in English cricket.
The Barnsley man, 31, was a whistleblower about his experience of racism in cricket – leading to a government inquiry and mass changes of personnel at Yorkshire CCC.
Rafiq has experienced personal threats both online and in person and, according to reports, CCTV recently caught someone defecating in his parents’ garden while, in another incident, a masked person was seen ‘prowling outside the property.’ Police are understood to be looking into those incidents as well as staff being threatened at the Mother Hubbards chip shop which Rafiq bought in Barnsley town centre.
His father, who is unwell, mother, wife and children are also expected to leave the country. The family initially moved from Pakistan to Barnsley more than 20 years ago.
In response to an article by The Cricketer, which broke the story, Rafiq tweeted: ‘Sad reality of speaking out.’
Rafiq himself had to apologise after social media comments emerged from him using Anti-Semitic language, while some national newspapers have published a series of other allegations against him.
He is due to give more evidence to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee and is a key witness in the Cricket Discipline Commission’s case against several current and former Yorkshire staff.
