Yorkshire County Cricket Club signs 'Clean Slate' stadium deal after racism scandal
Rafiq said he suffered racist abuse at Yorkshire County Cricket Club beginning in 2008 and ending in 2018 and later gave emotional evidence聽to MPs about it, prompting fundamental change at Yorkshire and a review across cricket. 聽聽
Tuesday 5 April 2022 18:53, UK
Yorkshire County Cricket Club is seeking to move on from the racism scandal it found itself engulfed in last year by signing a stadium sponsorship deal with the aptly-named Clean Slate.
The two-year agreement with Indian media firm Clean Slate Studioz will see its name feature prominently at the world-famous Headingley in Leeds, where the club has played since 1890.
Last year, former player Azeem Rafiq gave to MPs about years of racism he had suffered at the club, prompting fundamental change at Yorkshire and an unprecedented review across cricket.
Reacting to news of the Clean Slate deal, Rafiq told Sky News: "I just laughed, the timing, everything - I just thought it just fitted perfectly."
"But it is everything else from now on that happens that is important," he added.
"There's a lot of good primary schools around Headingley and a big, diverse community.
"I just want them to be able to walk past Headingley and look at Headingley and think this is my club."
Read more: Who are the key people in the Yorkshire CCC racism scandal?
Previous stadium sponsor Emerald Publishing was one of a series of commercial partners that cut ties with Yorkshire at the height of the scandal last autumn, plunging the club into a financial crisis that threatened its future.
Clean Slate says its mission is to challenge gender stereotypes in Indian film, and they want to help make Headingley "a flagbearer for inclusivity and diversity in cricket".
Yorkshire's chairman Lord Patel and managing director of cricket Darren Gough are both in Mumbai to launch the partnership with Clean Slate founder Karnesh Ssharma.
Lord Patel said: "This new partnership - with a vibrant Indian brand that knows how to entertain diverse communities - is an exciting step for Yorkshire.
"Our proud club has a great future, welcoming everyone into our ground and this game."
Clean Slate founder Karnesh Ssharma said: "We're incredibly proud to partner with Yorkshire and to be the first Indian company to have their name prominently featured within a UK sports ground.
"Clean Slate puts inclusivity and diversity at the fore of its entertainment roster, and we truly believe that our entertainment vision and values align with that of Yorkshire County Cricket Club moving forward.
"Our ambition is to help make the Headingley venue a beacon for equality and inclusivity in Yorkshire and the sport in general."
A ban on hosting international cricket at Headingley was recently lifted by the England and Wales Cricket Board after Yorkshire demonstrated they had made significant progress addressing the problems that Rafiq had highlighted.
Consequently, England's test match against New Zealand in June and a one-day international against South Africa will go ahead at Headingley - a key part of rebuilding the club's reputation and finances.