Somerset pacer Jack Brooks has apologised to India batter Cheteshwar Pujara for his role in nicknaming the latter “Steve” during his stint at Yorkshire.
Several English cricketers find themselves in hot water after Azeem Rafiq's allegations of "institutional racism" at the Yorkshire Country Cricket Club.
Brooks, who also issued an apology for historical racist tweets (2012), is one such cricketer named in Rafiq’s testimony earlier this week.
The emergence of two examples of Brooks using allegedly racist words towards England speedster Tymal Mills and Stewart Laudat has prompted Somerset to probe the allegations.
“With reference to my naming in Azeem Rafiq’s statement to MPs this week, the use of the name ‘Steve’ related to some people having difficult names to pronounce. When this has occurred in the past in a dressing room environment, it has been commonplace to give nicknames, regardless of creed or race,” Brooks said in a statement that appeared on the Somerset club’s website.
“I admit to having used it in this context and now accept that it was disrespectful and wrong to do so. I have reached out and apologised to Cheteshwar for any offence that I have caused him or his family. At the time I didn’t recognise this as racist behaviour, but I can now see that it was not acceptable.”
In his testimony, Rafiq had said that Brooks had started the practice at Yorkshire of referring to Pujara as “Steve”.
Pujara has had two stints as an overseas player for Yorkshire, in 2015 and 2018.
Jack Brooks, who joined Somerset in 2018, also admitted that the language used in the two tweets he made in 2012 was “unacceptable”.
“I deeply regret using it. I unreservedly apologise for any offence caused to anybody who may have seen these tweets.
“The two players to whom I sent the tweets are my friends and it was certainly not my intention to cause distress or offence to them or anyone who read them.
“It is my understanding that neither individual was offended at the time, but I accept that language is important and that a word I used may have caused offence to others.”
Brooks further said he condemned discrimination of any kind.
“I should never have used discriminatory language, no matter what the intention and context was. I wholeheartedly apologise for any offence caused.”
After an internal investigation, Somerset has asked Brooks to participate in “extensive training on equality, diversity and inclusivity”.
“Somerset was made aware of allegations in relation to social media posts which had racist connotations made by one of our current players, Jack Brooks, while he was employed by another County in 2012,” the club said in a statement.
“Jack was made aware of these allegations and the Club immediately launched an investigation. Subsequently, in addition to the social media posts, claims that Jack was involved in the adoption of the nickname ‘Steve’ for an overseas player at Yorkshire were also investigated.
“There is no doubt these comments are unacceptable. Somerset CCC condemn the use of language which has any racist connotations. There is no place for racism at Somerset Cricket or across the game as a whole."
(With PTI inputs)
