Colin Graves: Former Yorkshire chairman says he never witnessed racism at the club

Colin Graves says he never witnessed racism at Yorkshire during his time at the club and claims they are now at risk of administration after withdrawing his offer to return as chairman.

The founder of Costcutter was the executive chairman of Yorkshire between 2012 and 2015, after he helped save the club from financial trouble in 2002.

Graves was keen on returning as Yorkshire chair but last week withdrew his application and criticised the length of time it has taken for the club to name a successor to Lord Patel, who stepped down in March.

His first stint as chairman overlapped with Azeem Rafiq's spell at the club, a period in which the club have now admitted they failed to address the systemic use of racist and or discriminatory language.

Yorkshire have admitted to four amended charges related to the Rafiq racism investigation and will find out what sanctions they will face on June 27.

Graves, though, says racism allegations were never brought to him during his time as chairman.

"When I was chairman of the club, when some of these allegations were made, I can tell you now, nothing was brought up within the club," Graves told Sky Sports News.

"And I ran the club on an open-door basis as chairman, players could come and see me if they had issues and they did so on a regular basis. I met the players twice a year, took them out for dinner, met them around the ground, knew a lot of the families.

"We had management meetings in the club every Monday we had board meetings every six weeks. Nothing was ever brought up on the table about any racism allegations whatsoever.

"There was nothing at all and people like, and this is again which I find very frustrating and disappointing, people like [former director of cricket] Martyn Moxon have been castigated, lost their jobs, lost their careers as part of these allegations.

"Martyn Moxon hasn't got a racist bone in his body. Martyn Moxon, people forget, was the person who brought Azeem Rafiq back to the club. He gave him a new contract, he gave him a second chance. If Martyn had been racist, why did he do that?"

Asked specifically if he had ever witnessed racism during his time at Yorkshire, Graves replied: "None whatsoever, from anybody at any level. Nothing."

Rafiq alleged in September 2020 that he had been a victim of institutional racism during his two spells at Yorkshire between 2008 and 2018.

In November 2021, former Yorkshire chair Roger Hutton told a DCMS hearing he "feared" the club fell under the definition for being institutionally racist.

Graves, however, says he does not believe there was institutional racism at Yorkshire during his time in charge.

"I think institutional racism I believe is the wrong word. I think there's been odd occasions where words have been said that people may regret afterwards," Graves said.

"I don't think it was done on a racist, savage basis. I think there was a lot of - I know people don't like the word banter - but I think there could have been a lot of banter in there about it, and I know people don't like that.

"But when you play cricket and you're part of cricket teams, and you're in cricket dressing rooms, that's what happened in the past.

"But the world has changed, society's changed it's not acceptable, I understand that, I accept it, full stop.

"But I don't believe it's institutional racism in Yorkshire…If people can prove it fine, but I don't think it is institutionally racist as an organisation. I just don't see it."

The Board of Yorkshire County Cricket Club said: "We note Colin's position that he was not aware of, or witness to, any racism at Yorkshire and that there existed only "banter". As a Board, we maintain that we needed to accept and take responsibility for the cultural issues which allowed racist and discriminatory behaviour to go unchallenged, and we have accepted four amended charges from the Cricket Discipline Commission.

"We remain entirely focused on securing the short- and long-term future of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and making it a welcoming club for everyone".

A statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board read: "We are disappointed to see the comments made by Colin Graves on the historical racist issues at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

"We must never again hear of accounts like Azeem Rafiq's, where racist slurs are used as part of normalised everyday language.

"These events, along with many issues experienced by Azeem and others during their time at Yorkshire have been upheld more than once, including during proceedings overseen by the Cricket Discipline Committee.

"We vehemently disagree that this is 'just banter' and believe that any debate in that regard should stop immediately. Racism isn't banter.

"Yorkshire is of huge importance to cricket in England and Wales with a deep history and an ability to inspire and connect all cricket fans.

"They are currently working hard to resolve their financial and cultural challenges and the club, and its new management, have our full support.''

Graves: Yorkshire will run out of cash in September without new investment

The Rafiq racism scandal has hit Yorkshire hard financially with the club incurring £3.5m costs in exceptional expenditure over the past two years.

Yorkshire made a £2.2m loss in their 2022 accounts and chief executive Stephen Vaughan highlighted a £3.5m cash shortfall arising later this year.

Yorkshire also owe Graves' family trust - which is managed by independent trustees - nearly £15m following his bailout of the club in 2002 and that is due to be repaid in full in the autumn of 2024.

Graves says he was ready to negotiate an extension on that payment had he returned as chair and was also prepared to become a guarantor in "the worst scenario" to help the club's financial footing.

"The first thing I would do I would talk to that trust and the trustees to virtually try and get firstly a three-year extension on that, so it gives us breathing space to make sure we can make the right decisions, bring the new investment in which is required," said Graves, who was also chair of the ECB from 2015 until 2020.

"From what I gather the trustees and the family trust have no problem of exiting as and when that time is right. And that's virtually what I would do.

"As far as I know [Yorkshire] are going to run out of liquid cash in September time. So from that proposal, they are putting around they are wanting £5m cash injection on top of the £15m owed to the trust. So they are looking for £20m.

"If [a buyer or investor] doesn't [come in], presumably the only way forward for them is to go into administration.

"And when that happens, and I hope it doesn't happen that'd be the worst thing that could happen, if they go into administration, then the administrator will have to talk to the trustees of the trust because the trust has got first legal charge over the ground."

The Board of Yorkshire County Cricket Club said: "The financial security of Yorkshire County Cricket Club is our number one priority and we are continuing many positive conversations around investment from various sources. Our guiding principle is that Yorkshire will remain a members' co-operative, as it has been for 160 years. The club is not for sale and we have turned down several offers to buy the club outright."

Graves: Yorkshire should remain a members' club

After Graves announced his withdrawal from the application process to be chair, Yorkshire said at "no point" had the 74-year-old had made "a clearly defined, tangible offer that the board was able to consider formally".

Graves said: "It's not correct, because basically, I didn't make an offer to buy the club. I could have bought the club many times over the last 20 years. And I've never wanted to buy the club because it's a members' club and I believe Yorkshire County Cricket Club should stay that way as a members' club.

"So, I didn't make an offer to buy the club and purchase it from the members. What I did do is I put in writing to them on two occasions, one in February and one two weeks ago, of what my proposal was for the club to trade out of its present situation with investors behind me who would look at bringing fresh money into the club and to trade our way out of it to get it back on an even keel.

"They've had that in writing twice, but it is not an offer to buy the club."

Graves also wanted total control of Yorkshire's board and executive.

"Anybody who goes in there whether you buy the club or you go in as an investor, you are going to want some kind of control of who runs the club and who's there as the executive. And that's what I said that I don't want a board around me who's going to make life difficult in making difficult decisions going forward.

"Because there are going to be some difficult decisions to make in that club. Because they are going to run out of money, and from my point of view, that's where you need total control.

"The big thing that you do need with independent directors is you need some independent directors with cricket experience. Yorkshire haven't got that. They've got 10 independent directors, none of them have worked in cricket, none of them have played cricket, none of them have run grounds. They don't understand what cricket is all about.

"So that's why I said I want total control of the board and the executive to make sure we make the right decisions at the right time for the good of Yorkshire County Cricket Club as a members' club."

He added: "At one stage it used to have a massive membership, that membership has dropped and dropped and dropped. But the members are very, very loyal in Yorkshire they're passionate about their cricket, and they have been and always will be.

"And I don't think the members have been treated properly over the last two or three years. The way things have changed, the decisions that have been made, really I don't think have been made in the best interest of the members and the members' club. And I think they've been ignored and I think the members deserve for it to stay as a members' club but to be run on behalf of the members."

Graves was also critical of decisions made by Lord Patel during his time as chair of Yorkshire.

Graves said: "He came in to do a job, he's done that job.

"Decisions have been made. I think some bad decisions have been made. I'm not going to go into them, that's personally, it's history, I can't change it anyway.

"But I think those decisions have now created where Yorkshire is today with, you know, £3.5m loss on last year's P&L shortage of cash going forward.

"People, you look at the standard of cricket now that we've got in there, we're struggling. Players have left. Sponsors have left. I think bad decisions were made but it's history."

The Board of Yorkshire County Cricket Club said: "We reiterate that at no point did Colin Graves make a clearly defined, tangible offer that the Board was able to consider formally, unlike other interested parties involved in the refinance process. His proposals include securing an extension on repayment of loans from the Graves Trusts, which he also says he has no control over, and working with a number of investors to get the club back on an even keel. This is not a refinancing solution that we can stand behind or would pass any financial rigour.

"Furthermore, Colin's stipulation that he would require full control of the Board and Executive in the event of returning to the club as chair runs contrary to best practice governance requirements set out in the County Governance Code which were agreed by all counties in 2019."

In a statement to Sky Sports News, Lord Patel responded to comments made by Colin Graves: "I came to YCCC to do a job which I believe that I did - one of which was to address the institutional racism and discrimination that had taken place.

"We should not forget that when I arrived on November 5 2021 - YCCC had lost the majority, if not all its sponsors; the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said that racism alleged to have taken place at YCCC was probably unlawful and threatened legal action if appropriate steps were not taken by the club to address discrimination; the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had removed the right for YCCC to host any major and international matches; the only funds it had in the bank were advanced ticket sales for the two forthcoming international matches which had been withdrawn - so those funds would have to be returned. It had no governance structure and no effective leadership in place.

"It was because of the decisions that I made, not only were major and international matches returned to Headingley by February 2022, but YCCC is also now hosting the Ashes this summer.

"We now have a governance structure in place that is outstanding with a board of directors with immense experience and talent.

"The regular monitoring of the club from the ECB and EHRC has now stopped.

"During 2022 we had the highest level of sponsorship in the history of the club.

"We are certainly well on the journey to make YCCC a club that will welcome everyone and be world class in ensuring that inclusivity and good governance is at its heart - and continue to be the county that will produce some of the country's best cricketers from all backgrounds.

"I won't list the many reports, inquires and findings (including from YCCC's own whistleblowing hotline) that have evidenced discrimination in the game we all love - which of course is sad, but a reality.

"I must admit, I find it very worrying that Colin believes that there was no institutional racism or discrimination at Yorkshire Country Cricket Club and in cricket generally across England and Wales, particularly given his position as Chair, not only of YCCC, but also of ECB. The idea that we can pass this off as 'banter' is why YCCC and cricket has been put under the spotlight.

"I hope that the ECB's Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket committee publishes its report as soon as possible to end the opportunity for comments like this to be made by some cricket commentators and some journalists to defend the indefensible. I know too well the impact of not only racist abuse but also the powerful people using their platform to gaslight victims."