Gulfraz Riaz, the chairman of the National Asian Cricket Council, has voluntarily stepped down from the independent panel convened to investigate allegations of institutional racism at Yorkshire. Mesba Ahmed, the NACC’s vice-chair, has taken over in the role, with Riaz set to assist the investigation as a witness.
The panel was convened in September following claims by the former Yorkshire player, Azeem Rafiq, that he had been left on the “brink of suicide” by his treatment at the club. His allegations were subsequently backed up by the former Pakistan seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who played alongside Rafiq for two seasons in 2008 and 2009.
In addition to his role at the NACC, Ahmed is CEO and founder of the London Tigers, an award-winning charity focussed on community development through sport, which delivers projects across London and the UK, and has worked closely with Sport England, professional football clubs, local councils and the FA’s “Kick it Out” campaign. He is also a former member of the Football Association’s Race Equality Advisory Board.
Ahmed joins a five-person panel, which is chaired by Dr Samir Pathak – a surgeon and MCC committee member – and includes barrister and employment law specialist Rehana Azib, former Waitrose Personnel Director Helen Hyde, and Stephen Willis, the CFO of Durham University and a Yorkshire committee member.
“Sport has a crucial role to play in addressing issues of race, diversity and equality in our society,” Ahmed said. “Investigations of this nature are never easy, but they are important if we are to successfully address inequality and provide sporting opportunities across BAME communities.
“Along with my fellow panel members, I am determined that we deliver a thorough and impartial finding and clear set of recommendations.”
Dr Samir Pathak, Chairman of the investigation panel said: “I would like to thank Gulfraz for his assistance.
“The investigation team have been in regular contact with Mr Rafiq’s legal counsel and understand that he will be in a position to provide a statement to the investigation by the 6 November.
“The process of contacting potential witnesses and agreeing a timetable of interviews is in progress. Both the investigation team and the panel are aware that this is a difficult time for all parties and are determined that the investigation will be concluded before the end of the year.”
Rafiq himself is due to give evidence in the coming days, with the panel expecting that the investigation will be concluded before the end of the year. He recently called for witnesses in the case to be granted anonymity, for fear of jeopardising their careers, to which Yorkshire responded that there were be “no repercussions”.
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