Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan cleared of racism charge

Published

1 year ago

March 31, 2023

admin

Ashes-winning former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has had the racism charge against him dismissed.

The 48-year-old had been accused by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) of making a derogatory comment towards a group of Yorkshire teammates of Asian ethnicity before a match in 2009, including Azeem Rafiq who first spoke out in 2020 about the discrimination he suffered during two stints with the county.

The former batter allegedly told them: “There’s too many of you lot, we need to have a word about that.”

He had always categorically denied using racist language towards Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Ajmal Shahzad.

He appeared in person at a Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) hearing which was held in public in London earlier this month to defend himself.

Five others accused were found by the panel to have used racist and/or discriminatory language – former Test stars Matthew Hoggard and Tim Bresnan, ex-Yorkshire coaches Andrew Gale and Richard Pyrah and former Scotland international John Blain.

Unlike Vaughan, they had indicated prior to the hearing they would not participate, with the allegations against them heard in their absence.

The cricketer-turned TV pundit wrote on social media on Friday: “It has been both difficult and upsetting to hear about the painful experiences which Azeem has described over the past three years.

“The outcome of these CDC proceedings must not be allowed to detract from the core message that there can be no place for racism in the game of cricket, or in society generally.”

He added: “The dismissal of the specific charge that concerned me takes nothing away from Azeem’s own lived experiences.”

Branding the proceedings an “inappropriate, inadequate, and backwards step”, he added: “There are no winners in this process and there are better ways – there have to be better ways – for cricket to move forward positively and effectively.

“I have never wanted to do anything that runs contrary to genuine efforts to clean up the game of cricket.

“I truly hope people can understand why, on a personal level, I could not just accept or apologise for, something which I know I did not do.

“At times, this process has brought me to the brink of falling out of love with cricket.

“I won’t address here the toll that it has taken on me and my family, but I have no doubt that it has also been incredibly stressful for all of the others concerned.

“I hope that for them and for cricket, an inclusive healing process can now begin.”

In its decision the panel said there had been “significant inconsistencies” in the evidence of the main witnesses, Rafiq and Rashid, and found the case against Vaughan “not proved”.

But it stressed this did not “in any way undermine the wider assertions” made by Rafiq.

The charges, brought in June last year, stemmed primarily from allegations levelled by the former Yorkshire bowler.

Yorkshire accepted in 2021 Rafiq had been the victim of racial harassment and bullying, but a month later said no individuals would face disciplinary action as a consequence.

The county admitted four charges, including a failure to address systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language at the club over a prolonged period.

A seventh individual, former Yorkshire and England batter, Gary Ballance, also admitted using racist and/or discriminatory language.

Rafiq told Sky News: “I think it’s really important at this stage now that everybody really reflects, accepts that the game has not done anywhere near enough and comes together.

“The reason for me speaking out was for the game to get better for my kids and everyone else’s.

“Let’s not beat around the bush, there is a large part of the cricket community that is very hesitant and resistant to change, hence why we have not moved forward.

“We all have to take responsibility because the one thing that unites us all is the game that we all love.”

ECB chair Richard Thompson said: “There now needs to be a time of reconciliation where, as a game, we can collectively learn and heal the wounds and ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again.”

Meanwhile, the chair of Cricket Scotland Anjan Luthra has quit following criticism of his and the organisation’s attempts to tackle racism.

UK

Migrant deaths: Are we seeing new form of crime after rival group pushed their way on to boat?

Published

8 hours ago

April 23, 2024

admin

Migrant deaths: Are we seeing new form of crime after rival group pushed their way on to boat?

Plenty of people have died on small boats trying to cross the Channel. But this was different.

The people who perished in the waters off Wimereux died not just because of the greed of people smugglers, or the inadequacy of their boat. This is a story about violence.

What really killed these people was a hijacking, and by the increasingly dangerous and volatile atmosphere that lingers over the lives of migrants in northern France who are trying to get to Britain.

Often we have heard stories of feuds and of weapons being used between rival groups in camps. Now, it seems that a sense of violent rivalry has spread to the beaches.

We have been told extraordinary details of what happened in the moments before three men, a woman and a young girl died in the cold, dark waters within sight of the promenade.

There were, so we’re told, around 50 people who had paid for a place on board the boat and, as is normal with these crossings, helped to carry it down the beach in Wimereux before getting to the waterfront.

At this point, another group of people emerged from the shadows and pushed their way on to the boat, threatening those on board with sticks and taking over, a man in a balaclava manhandling the controls of the engine.

Nobody was thrown off but, as the vessel left the shore, it now had 112 people on board.

To put that into context, I would imagine these boats could probably safely accommodate a maximum of 20 people.

Normally, packed by smugglers, they leave northern France with around 50 or even 60 on board. Never have I heard of a boat having more than 100 people on board.

So with the boat presumably now desperately low in the water, horribly overloaded, unbalanced and, almost certainly, in the hands of someone with no experience of piloting a passenger vessel, it set off.

But the waters around here are treacherous, dotted with sandbars that the locals know, and the amateurs can’t see.

The wallowing dinghy hit one of them and shuddered to a halt, only a few hundred metres from the shore.

Some of the passengers stood up, either in shock or else to remonstrate. A couple fell into the water.

When the French authorities arrived, they took two people from the water and reported finding “several people” who were unconscious and in “grave difficulty”.

What’s clear is that the two people who went into the water drowned – believed to be the woman and the young girl.

What we don’t know is how the other three victims – three men who appear not to have left the boat – ended up dying.

The local authorities, when asked for more details, say they are investigating.

Host of questions to be answered

This begs important questions – are we seeing a new form of crime within the realm of people-smuggling?

Was this attack, where one group hijacks another group’s dinghy, a one-off, or the precursor to a new, and dangerous, form of conflict?

What will be the reprisals that follow? And – if they didn’t drown – how exactly did those people die within around 20 minutes of leaving shore?

None of this has escaped the notice of the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), which is monitoring developments.

The NCA is surely aware that the very people who charged on to the boat are now in Britain, having refused to leave the vessel when the authorities were recovering the dead and injured, along with dozens of the original passengers, who now wanted to get off.

“These tragic events demonstrate just how dangerous these crossings are and the callous nature of those who organise them,” said a statement from the NCA.

“Our thoughts are with those affected. The NCA will be working with Kent Police and Border Force to support the French investigation into these deaths.”

UK

Violence breaks out at St George’s Day event in central London

Published

11 hours ago

April 23, 2024

admin

Violence breaks out at St George's Day event in central London

Violence has broken out at a St George’s Day event in central London.

The Metropolitan Police released footage showing a group of men – some draped in St George’s flags – clashing with officers in Whitehall.

At one point in the footage, a man appears to hit a police horse with an umbrella.

The Met had earlier warned that those attending the event were expected to include “far right groups and groups linked to football clubs travelling from elsewhere in the UK”.

Shortly after 2pm, the force posted on X: “The event is not due to start for an hour and regrettably officers are already dealing with disorder.”

“There is an area allocated for this event in Richmond Terrace. This group went past it and continued up Whitehall.

“When officers formed a cordon and asked the group to turn round, they reacted by violently forcing their way through. Mounted officers intervened with horses to restore the cordon.”

The disorder was broken up and the Met said there have been “no further incidents since that altercation”.

The Met earlier said an order was in force in Lambeth and Westminster giving officers the power to require the removal of face coverings after it said several people were seen to be wearing masks.

It added a Section 60 order was issued allowing police to ramp up stop and searches.

St George’s Day is celebrated on 23 April every year, honouring the patron saint of England.

UK

Photo of Prince Louis taken by Kate released to mark his 6th birthday

Published

11 hours ago

April 23, 2024

admin

Photo of Prince Louis taken by Kate released to mark his 6th birthday

A photo of Prince Louis taken by the Princess of Wales has been released to mark the young royal’s sixth birthday.

The image of a smiling Louis was shared on social media along with the caption: “Happy 6th Birthday, Prince Louis! Thank you for all the kind wishes today.”

The photo was taken in the last few days in Windsor and is understood to be unedited.

It is understood William and Kate released the image as a way to thank those who sent good wishes while also protecting their privacy.

The same process – a deviation from the usual issuing of the pictures to the press in advance under an embargo – is expected to be followed for Princess Charlotte’s birthday in May.

The change in process is understood to be due to the unprecedented time the family is experiencing.

Photograph’s release breaks with tradition – but these are unprecedented times

A happy little boy smiling for his mum behind the camera, Prince Louis again looks every bit the fun, cheeky boy who has stolen the show at big royal events in recent years.

He is growing up fast, and we’re told the Prince and Princess of Wales are hugely grateful for the birthday wishes they’ve had as he turns six.

But unlike previous years, it wasn’t a given that we were going to see a new photograph of him. Usually, like clockwork, birthday photographs of the children are released, normally taken by the Princess.

But these are described as unprecedented times for them, with Kate being treated for cancer, and their heightened desire for privacy.

There would undoubtedly have been discussions about whether a new picture would just draw the spotlight back onto them, especially when you consider the furore over the last photograph they released for Mother’s Day.

On balance, they clearly decided they wanted to put something out on their social media as any parent would, an unedited picture taken by mum, but not release it to the media the night before as they have done previously.

At the moment, with everything they have going on, you can’t begrudge them for wanting to do things their way.

The past few months have been an eventful period for the family due to Kate and the King’s cancer diagnoses.

The Princess of Wales announced in March that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy.

Louis, meanwhile, was last seen in public on Christmas Day when the Royal Family made their traditional festive appearance on the King’s Sandringham Estate to walk to church.

The release of the photograph comes after Louis’ father, Prince William, resumed royal duties last week in his first public engagement since Kate’s cancer announcement.

The prince visited a food distribution charity, Surplus to Supper, in Surrey, where he saw how extra food from across the local area was redistributed to small community organisations.

Photos showed him getting busy in the kitchen at the charity’s hub in Sunbury Cricket Club as he made chilli con carne and chopped ingredients under the supervision of head chef Mario Confait.

Listen above then tap here to follow the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

The 41-year-old heir to the throne was also pictured in a hi-vis vest joining volunteers in loading prepared meals into delivery vans.

The Prince of Wales then headed to Hanworth youth centre in west London which benefits from the organisation’s deliveries and unloaded the crates.

Earlier this month, William and his eldest son Prince George attended an Aston Villa football game together, in their first public outing since Kate’s cancer announcement.

William, Kate and their three children missed the Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, following the news, despite attending last year.