Former England captain Michael Vaughan has been accused of racist and discriminatory language along with 6 other individuals including former cricketers- Matthew Hoggard, Gary Ballance, and Tim Bresnan.
The charges have been pressed after former Yorkshire all-rounder Azeem Rafiq claimed it publicly that he was racially abused during his tenure with the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
As per the Sun newspaper, the cases will be heard by the Cricket Disciplinary Committee (CDC), a body that works disjointedly from the ECB, in September or October, later this year. However, the proceeding is expected to get delayed due to legal wrangling.
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Michal Vaughan and other cricketers are planning to fight the charges and will be given a chance to present their sides of the story when cross-examined.
An ECB statement said: "The ECB's investigation has been thorough and complex, with the allegations covering a significant period of time and a number of witnesses and other individuals coming forward to share their own experiences and allegations. The ECB is grateful to all those who have taken the time to speak with the investigating team.
In matters of this nature, our normal practice is not to identify individuals charged at this stage. This decision is taken on a case-by-case basis. It is however standard practice for the CDC disciplinary panel to publish its decisions and written reasons in full following the hearing."
Pakistan-born former off-spinner Rafiq first raised allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020, related to his two spells at Yorkshire. A year later, the club finally released a statement saying the retired player had been the victim of ‘racial harassment and bullying’, upholding seven of his 43 allegations.
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“This has been another grueling but unfortunately necessary process… I hope this all means that no young player ever goes through such pain and alienation again. My preference would be for this hearing to take place publicly, but I am hopeful that we are at least nearing a point where there will be some sense of closure for my family and me,” the 31-year-old had said.
Vaughan and Bresnan have repeatedly denied making racist remarks to Rafiq, and Bresnan called time on his career at Warwickshire before the start of this season. Hoggard phoned Rafiq to apologize for how his remarks had been interpreted and Rafiq said that his apology had been accepted.
(News18/ESPNCricinfo inputs)
