The England and Wales Cricket Board has warned it will closely monitor ongoing reforms in Yorkshire after returning proponent Colin Graves apologized “personally and unreservedly” to victims of racism.
The “significant powers” that will ensure the club is “held to account” were outlined in a statement from the governing body after the Yorkshire board approved a loan offer that would pave the way for Graves’ return as chairman.
Ahead of a Feb. 2 vote to approve the agreement with members, Graves released a statement expressing “deep” regret, before describing harassment at the club as a “joke”.
The Costcutter founder also faces a grilling by MPs next month, with parliamentary group chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage, who has previously heard from Azeem Rafiq, already expressing concerns.
Graves’ return to Headingley has faced opposition from former player Rafiq, anti-discrimination charity Sporting Equals and several other MPs. The criticism was particularly intense over an interview the entrepreneur gave to Sky last year. Graves later said he was unaware of any incidents of racism when he was chairman of Yorkshire from 2012 to 2015, but added “I know there can be a lot of jokes made about it and people don’t like it”.
Graves adopted a more conciliatory tone and distanced himself from these comments. “I personally and unreservedly apologize to anyone who has experienced any form of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club,” he said in a statement. “Discrimination or abuse based on race, ethnicity or other protected characteristics is unacceptable and will never be tolerated.”
Yorkshire issued a statement on Wednesday night confirming Graves’ bid had been approved by the board and advising members to vote at the EGM.
“I am determined to do whatever it takes to ensure Yorkshire County Cricket Club continues to reflect the communities it represents,” Graves said. “The club cannot and will not succeed unless it is united in meeting the highest professional standards on and off the pitch.”
Graves reassured members that Yorkshire would comply with any new measures introduced at the club to increase diversity and the recommendations of a report into racism in cricket.
“I would like to make clear that we accept the findings and recommendations of the report conducted by the Independent Commission for Equality in Cricket (ICEC),” he said. “If I am approved as President, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work carried out in the last two years will continue. “I hope new and old members, former players, commercial sponsors and broadcasters will work with us to ensure everyone connected with Yorkshire cricket is proud to be associated with the club.”
In response, the ECB said it understood the club’s position that the Graves deal “was the only viable option to address the club’s situation and put it on a sustainable basis”.
Welcoming Graves’ apology, the board said: “Yorkshire is an incredibly diverse county and the club’s iconic status means it has a huge opportunity to be at the forefront of working to make the sport more inclusive.”
However, issuing a warning, the body added that it would be closely monitoring the club as it improves its record on tackling discrimination: “There are also significant powers that can be used to hold Yorkshire County Cricket Club to account if it does not continue to progress the reform we have seen over the last few years.”
‘Azeem Rafiq’s treatment by Yorkshire was the tip of the iceberg’
Former club president Graves was previously accused of refusing to appear before MPs during previous investigations. But after Graves apologized for racism at the club, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee “invited” him to answer questions again next month.
“Yorkshire CCC’s disgraceful treatment of Azeem Rafiq was the tip of the iceberg, showing that racism, classism, sexism and misogyny are entrenched throughout the sport,” Dame Caroline said in a statement.
“The publication of last year’s report by the Independent Commission for Equality in Cricket presented a turning point for English cricket; The ECB seems to accept this. Colin Graves’ return to Yorkshire and English cricket risks undermining the progress made so far. If the club is serious about rebuilding both its reputation and finances, then Mr Graves and the club must commit to fully respecting and acting on the ICEC’s findings. “The Culture, Media and Sport Committee will closely monitor the progress of this agreement to ensure that Yorkshire CCC’s appalling history is not repeated.”
Despite searching for more than a year for new investment, Yorkshire returned to Graves as there were no other options on the table.
It will immediately provide the club with £5 million to settle debts, the most urgent of which is believed to be to HMRC, before repaying its £16.1 million debt to the Graves Family Trust. The consortium, led by Graves and including former MCC chairman Phillip Hodson, who will become deputy chairman, will set up a limited company that will convert £16 million of debt into equity, effectively buying Headingley and leasing it back to the club for 99 million. Agreement without paying annual rent.
But converting this debt into equity would mean Yorkshire would no longer be a members-owned club like Hampshire, and this would require approval from 75 per cent of the club’s 3,500 members.