In the lead-up to the recent T20 World Cup, South African cricket was rocked by allegations of systemic racism at the highest levels of the game. That controversy was compounded by the very clumsy way in which our cricketing authorities then instructed the Proteas team that their participation, by taking the knee, in the Black Lives Matter protest, would be mandatory. While the coals of these incidents were still smouldering, English cricket was roiled by its own racism scandal.
The seriousness with which allegations of racism in sport are now finally being treated contrasts with how, not so long ago, English cricket skirted any fall out from a self-described “gaffe” by famous Test cricket commentator Henry Blofeld. Blofeld’s commentary persona is, to put it briefly, very posh (for us elders, he reminds one of an even more English version of Charles Fortune). Blofeld in typically purple prose described the incident as follows
“There is a row of formidable red-brick Victorian houses on the Headingly side of the road, some way back from the cricket. For that match, two of the houses had turned their adjoining balconies into a stand for their friends, and there was quite a gathering. I took listeners on my usual journey round the ground and mentioned this impromptu stand. I speculated that the ticket price was small. Then I likened it to Eden Park in Auckland where I remembered a balcony being used in the same way. I knew that the stand in Auckland had been given a jokey name which suggested cut-price tickets. I thought it would be a suitable name for this stand at Headingly. Suddenly I found myself calling it ‘the Jewish stand’.”
As best as I can tell, aside from a bit of embarrassed tut tutting, Blofeld’s gaffe was consequence free. Thankfully, attitudes to racism have changed; nonetheless both racism and antisemitism, as indicated by recent news from England, are still prevalent.
The Rafiq controversy concerns an enquiry into the prevalence of racism at the once hallowed Yorkshire Country Cricket Club. The scandal, which has recently had a Jewish twist in the tale, arose from complaints by a former Yorkshire player, off-spin bowler Azeem Rafiq. Rafiq said that during his years at the club, he had been subject to racism and bullying. He stated that he had endured anti-Asian and Islamophobic abuse at the hands of high-profile club administrators and players, including former England Captain Michael Vaughn. According to Rafik, Vaughn, in reference to Asian cricketers, made the following remark during a match, “There are too many of you lot. We need to do something about it.” Vaughn, for the record, has vehemently denied making such a comment.
Yorkshire Cricket investigated the complaints. The investigation became front-page headlines when (after a long delay) in October 2021, Yorkshire Cricket released a report of its findings. In spite of finding that several of Rafiq’s complaints were justified, it said it wouldn’t be taking any action against the individuals named in its report. The fallout was quick and consequential. England’s parliament convened a special committee hearing, where Rafiq testified about shocking instances of the racist treatment he suffered during his time at the club. Following his testimony, England’s sport minister warned the English Cricket Board that unless it made progress in confronting institutional racism, the government would consider the “nuclear option” of appointing an independent regulator for the sport. Yorkshire Cricket has lost numerous sponsors, and it may no longer host Test matches at its Headingly stadium.
A few days after Rafiq’s testimony, the story took another turn. On 18 November, The Times newspaper published an exchange of text messages between Rafiq and a former teammate. These messages (which are easily internet accessible) were poisonously antisemitic. The inevitable charges of Rafiq being hypocritical and his complaint amounting to a case of the “pot calling the kettle black” then followed.
Rafiq quickly apologised for his text messages, which he had sent when he was 18 or 19 years old; nonetheless, as he candidly admits, he ought to have known better. I have read his apology. It’s unqualified and appears heartfelt. England’s Jewish Board of Deputies has since accepted his apology and it seems that the “counter-controversy” has been put to rest.
Nonetheless, something about the easy resolution of Rafiq’s antisemitic actions still nags. Maybe it’s this. Though Vaughn denied the allegations against him, one cannot help thinking that were he to admit the allegations and then make an apology similar in tone to that of Rafiq’s, Vaughn wouldn’t likewise so quicky and easily be forgiven
It seems that when it comes to racism, there exists a hypocritical hierarchy. Progressive groups, whilst acutely sensitive to the lived experience of victims of ethnic and racial hatred, are tone deaf to expressions of anti-Jewish hatred. This manifests itself when Jews, especially Jews living in Israel, are victims of murderous hate. Too many on the left apparently have a blind spot that prevents them from seeing antisemitism. Their indifference amounts to a betrayal by those who ought to condemn antisemitism with the same fervour with which they protest all other forms of racism.
Martin Luther King’s words (which I paraphrase), to the effect that what really wounds isn’t the hatred of our enemies but the indifference of those whom we had, perhaps naively, thought of as friends, resonates sadly.
Postscript. This article was intended to be somewhat light and ironic in tone. These intentions were overtaken by the appalling murder of Eli Kay in Jerusalem this past Sunday. May Eli’s memory be a blessing.
- Gavin Rome is a senior counsel at the Johannesburg Bar. He has acted as a Judge of the High Court on several occasions.
