As charges of racism throw the Yorkshire club into turmoil, Azeem Rafiq has stated that he lost his cricketing career to the racist attitudes prevalent in the Yorkshire county cricket scene. He also claimed that his experiences will help people who have to go through experiences of racial discrimination and that no amount of wickets or runs could accomplish the task that he has set to do right now.
It's really important the game and wider society listens to my experiences and we don't let this moment go and we try to use this as a watershed moment for the future. He said that no amount of runs or wickets could've done what I did and that I should be really proud of myself. I have no doubts that racism cost me my career but I believe in Allah and that everything happens for a reason. What I've been able to do and hopefully what we'll all be able to do moving forward will be more powerful than any runs and wickets or Ashes and World Cups
Azeem Rafiq