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Cricket

18th Nov 2021

Azeem Rafiq apologises for anti-semitic messages he sent on Facebook

Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq has published an apology for offensive messages he sent on Facebook when he was 19 years old

Reuben Pinder

“I have absolutely no excuses.”

Azeem Rafiq has published an apology for offensive messages he sent on Facebook when he was 19 years old.

The messages in question include anti-semitic jokes between him and a friend.

The former Yorkshire cricketer, whose recent testimony of his own experiences of racist abuse during his career have engulfed the sport, posted a tweet containing a statement.

“I was sent an image of this exchange from early 2011 today. I have gone back to check my account and it is me,” he wrote.

“I have absolutely no excuses. I am ashamed of this exchange and have now deleted it so as not to cause further offence.

“I was 19 at the time and hope and believe I am a different person today.

“I am incredibly angry at myself and I apologise to the Jewish community and everyone who is rightly offended by this.”

Rafiq recently spoke to the DMCS select committee about his own experiences of racism, recalling that the ‘P word’ was used constantly in the dressing room at Yorkshire CCC during his time at the club.