Up to 12 former Yorkshire staff to be charged by ECB following Azeem Rafiq racism scandal

Up to 12 former Yorkshire staff are to be charged by the ECB in light of the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal, Sportsmail can reveal.

Cricket’s governing body announced their investigation into Yorkshire’s handling of Rafiq’s allegations in November last year after receiving the club’s report on the matter.

The 31-year-old claimed he was the victim of regular racist abuse during eight years with his local county, across two stints, including being called a ‘P***’ and an ‘elephant washer’.

It is now understood that names on the ECB’s list to be charged include Rafiq’s former team-mates Gary Ballance, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Gale and Tim Bresnan. The charges are believed to centre on breaching the ECB’s anti-discrimination code and bringing the game of cricket into disrepute.

Ballance — who is still employed at the club — apologised for calling Rafiq a ‘P***’, while Hoggard also expressed remorse for using racial slurs towards the former off-spinner during his time at Yorkshire.

Former head coach Gale is accused of using racial slurs and a lack of care around the stillbirth of Rafiq’s son in 2018.

Ex-England all-rounder Bresnan is said to have bullied Rafiq and made racial comments. In an interview with Sportsmail in February, Bresnan apologised for fat-shaming but said: ‘I one hundred per cent deny that I’ve ever been racist.’

Ballance was given a new contract last year but it now remains unclear whether he will start the upcoming season with Yorkshire, who get their County Championship campaign underway against Gloucestershire on Thursday.

Gale and Bresnan’s agent and the ECB did not wish to comment.

Yorkshire, Ballance and Hoggard’s agents did not respond to requests for comment.