“I have absolutely no excuses.”
Azeem Rafiq has published an apology for offensive messages he sent on Facebook when he was 19 years old.
The messages in question include anti-semitic jokes between him and a friend.
The former Yorkshire cricketer, whose recent testimony of his own experiences of racist abuse during his career have engulfed the sport, posted a tweet containing a statement.
“I was sent an image of this exchange from early 2011 today. I have gone back to check my account and it is me,” he wrote.
“I have absolutely no excuses. I am ashamed of this exchange and have now deleted it so as not to cause further offence.
“I was 19 at the time and hope and believe I am a different person today.
“I am incredibly angry at myself and I apologise to the Jewish community and everyone who is rightly offended by this.”
— Azeem Rafiq (@AzeemRafiq30) November 18, 2021
Rafiq recently spoke to the DMCS select committee about his own experiences of racism, recalling that the ‘P word’ was used constantly in the dressing room at Yorkshire CCC during his time at the club.
"The treatment I received from some of the club officials was inhuman."
Azeem Rafiq recalls his horrific experiences of racism at Yorkshire CCC pic.twitter.com/KLmIYjKQbR
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) November 16, 2021
