Racism row: Cricket lovers gather to try change attitudes at Yorkshire County Cricket Club

A peaceful gathering was held in Leeds today (Saturday 6th November) in an effort to bring a change in attitudes at Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the wake of the Azeem Rafiq race row.

Azeem Rafiq Credit: PA

Members of the Heaven Help Us Cricket Club met outside Headingley Stadium this afternoon.

The scandal is expected to cost Yorkshire millions. But Afzal Patel also questions the impact on cricket-loving youngsters.

Lord Patel - who has just become Yorkshire's chairman following the resignation of Roger Hutton is still president of the Heaven Help Us charity - Its members say racism is a sport-wide problem.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission said today it's "deeply concerned" about what has happened.

The EHRC's statement comes after the cricket club's chairman, along with other board members, resigned over the way the club dealt with allegations of racism made by former player Azeem Rafiq.

EHRC chief executive Marcial Boo said in a statement her organisation had written to the club “to ask for more information, including a fully copy of their investigation report, to determine if there has been a breach of the law”.

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