New Delhi: Ex-Yorkshire and Pakistan-born cricketer Azeem Rafiq, whose racism allegations at Yorkshire lead to a massive turmoil in English cricket, is considering leaving England to protect his family from threats and abuse, reported the 'Cricketer.com'. In September last year, Rafiq had made some sensational claims about Yorkshire's bullying and racist culture, including by former English cricketers which led to many individuals and Yorkshire club getting charged by ECB in June this year.
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"The cricketer, whose family moved to the UK from Pakistan after a business partner of his father was murdered following a bungled kidnapping attempt, is being subjected to abuse and threats," reported the 'Cricketer.com'.
"From the moment I spoke out about my experiences at YCCC, my family and I have been subjected to threats, attacks and intimidation," Rafiq wrote on Twitter. Absolutely no individual or their family should be made to feel unsafe and I urge people to respect that," Rafiq had tweeted earlier this year.
"Rafiq has received a series of threats both online and in person in recent times and in one case, captured by CCTV earlier this month, an individual was seen defecating in the garden of the home where his parents live. In another, a masked intruder was seen prowling around the outside of the property," the report said.
Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance, who was Azeem Rafiq's captain during his second spell at the club, had admitted he made racist comments on his former teammate Rafiq, after which he was banned indefinitely from England's selection.
Rafiq and four others were recently reprimanded by the England Cricket Discipline Commission for use of "anti-Semitic language" on social media in 2011. Accepting the reprimand, Rafiq apologised to the Jewish community and said he was embarrassed.
(With PTI Inputs)