Asian cricketer was ‘silenced’ for criticising club’s blackface party

An Asian cricketer claims he was subject to a disciplinary hearing after calling for an apology from a Leicestershire club whose members “blacked-up” for a fancy dress party. It is the latest incident in the crisis over racism in the game and is now being investigated by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Four men attended the Disney-themed party apparently with boot polish on their skin and dressed in green and gold to represent the Jamaican Olympic bobsleigh team who inspired the 1993 hit film Cool Runnings. A photograph taken on the night shows the men from Sileby Town Cricket Club smiling with the chair, Nigel Kinch, who is also chair of Leicestershire and Rutland cricket league, which is at the top level of competition for amateur club cricket.

Umar Razaq, 31, a player at rivals Siston Town, who had previously been called a p*** by a Sileby player, shared the photo on Facebook and demanded an apology. But instead of issuing one, he says that Kinch called him in for a disciplinary hearing for breaching social media policy.

“This guy is the figurehead of the league of 38 teams,” said Razaq. “I just wanted him to acknowledge that blackface is wrong and to apologise publicly so that younger players coming through wouldn’t be put off. It was his party at his cricket club and he should have sent those boys home in disgrace, not had his picture taken with them. Excuses are being made for actions that are inexcusable. What sort of example does it set? I tried to challenge it and they went after me.”

Azeem Rafiq, the former Yorkshire player whose testimony at a parliamentary select committee exposed institutional racism in the professional game, said he had been following Umar’s fight on social media. “Umar has been