A response has been given by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson to the claims that were made by his old county side Yorkshire before the third Test match between England and New Zealand, which will take place on June 23. As a result of the racist controversy that included Pakistani-born spinner Azeem Rafiq, the last test match almost had to be shifted from the county’s headquarters in Headingley.
In the meantime, Williamson, made it quite plain that there is absolutely no room whatsoever for any type of prejudice, regardless of whether it occurs in sports or society. He said how much he had loved his stay in Yorkshire and provided an explanation of the efforts being made to raise awareness about the battle against prejudice. Between the years 2014 and 2018, the New Zealand captain was one of the foreign players that Yorkshire signed.
Kane Williamson speaks about the racism incident in Headingly
“It’s been really heartbreaking to see how everything has played out. I can only hope that something good comes out of it and the awareness that it creates to move ahead constructively,” Williamson said.
“Racism and other forms of prejudice have no place in society or the sporting world. I only spent a short amount of time in Yorkshire, but I really liked my time there. Certain concerns were brought to light very recently, and one can only hold out hope that they will be resolved. There have been a significant increase in awareness all around the globe, as well as attempts to maintain that awareness and make the world a more welcoming and inclusive place, whether it be in the realm of sports or other work environments,” Williamson added.
In the matter of the Yorkshire case, Rafiq had filed a complaint against the cricket club in September 2020, alleging that the club had harassed and bullied him throughout both of his stints playing for the club. After the Pakistani-born cricketer had presented conclusive evidence to a parliamentary committee the previous year, Yorkshire failed to take any disciplinary action against the individuals responsible for the incident, and as a result, the club found itself in a precarious position shortly after the allegations were proven to be true.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued a statement condemning this crime and threatening to remove any international matches played at Headingley as a form of punishment. During this time, Rafiq had also leveled accusations of complicity against the former captain of England, Michael Vaughan.
