Joe Root was involved in a lot of socializing night outs where I've been called a p***: Azeem Rafiq

The Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq had earlier submitted serious allegations of racism on his teammates. However, in order to reveal the details of his allegations he was supposed to give evidence to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee.

Thus, whilst giving the evidence, he expressed his disappointment on Joe Root’s statement that he never witnessed any racist abuse at the club. The hearing was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 16 in order to dig deeper into the racism allegations made on the Yorkshire club. Root has played his entire domestic cricket for Yorkshire.

However, when he was asked if he had recognized any incidents of racism at the club, the current England Test skipper had said, “Not that I can recall, no I can’t. But it is clear things have happened at the club and we have to make sure we eradicate it.”

Root Might not remember it but it just shows how normal it was in that environment: Azeem Rafiq

Root’s statement did not go quite well with Rafiq as he claimed that the batter was present when he was called with unpleasant words at the club. Rafiq also said that it highlights how this thing was normal at the club. He shed light on the environment of the club and pointed that it affected him on a larger scale.

“Rooty is a good man. He has never engaged in the racist language. I found it (Root’s denial) hurtful because Rooty was not only Gary [Ballance]’s housemate. But Rooty was involved in a lot of socializing nights out where I’ve been called a p***.

“He (Root) might not remember it but it just shows how normal it was in that environment, in that institution, that even a good man like him doesn’t see it for what it is. It was strange but it’s the environment and the institution that made it such a norm that people don’t remember it. And it’s not going to affect Joe, but it’s something I remember every day, but I don’t expect Joe to,” Azeem Rafiq said as quoted by the Mirror.