English cricket commentator David Lloyd has apologised after racist text messages were aired during Azeem Rafiq’s testimony on Tuesday.
Rafiq spoke at a British parliamentary hearing today, where he revealed that the long-time Sky Sports commentator had made remarks about the impact of Asian players on club culture.
“High-profile media people messaging other members of the media who supported me saying stuff like, ‘The club houses are the life blood of a club and Asian players don’t go in there’, ‘Getting subs out of Asian players is like getting blood out of stone’,” Rafiq said.
READ MORE: Aussie prodigy signs 2022 Formula 1 deal
READ MORE: Papali’i rejects huge Dolphins offer
READ MORE: Scottie Pippen says Michael Jordan ‘ruined basketball’
READ MORE: Crucial points dropped by Socceroos
“And then personally this guy doesn’t even know me, has never spent any time with me, is talking about my personal drinking, going out and socialising.
“That was David Lloyd, he’s been an England coach, commentator, and I found it disturbing because Sky are supposedly doing this amazing work on bringing racism to the front and within a week of me speaking out that’s what I got sent to me.”
Lloyd apologised for the remarks on social media a few hours later.
https://twitter.com/BumbleCricket/status/1460650330627186694
“In October 2020, I had a private message exchange with a third party involved in cricket, about a number of topics,” Lloyd said.
“In these messages, I referred to allegations about Azeem Rafiq which I had heard from within the game. I also made some comments about the Asian cricket community.
“I deeply regret my actions, and I apologise most sincerely to Azeem and to the Asian cricket community for doing this, and for any offence caused.
READ MORE: Papali’i rejects huge Dolphins offer
READ MORE: Scottie Pippen says Michael Jordan ‘ruined basketball’
The 73-year-old’s employer, Sky, issued a statement as well.
“Sky is committed to actively championing inclusion in cricket – and in all sports – and opposing all forms of discrimination. We will be investigating the comments attributed to David Lloyd in today’s select committee hearing.”
A formal investigation was commissioned by Yorkshire cricket in September 2020 into 43 allegations made by Rafiq regarding systemic racism within the sport, and at his club.
A fortnight ago, chairman Roger Hutton resigned amid the fallout from Rafiq’s racism allegations against the English cricket club.
A week later, coach Andrew Gale was suspended over a tweet.
The club’s director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, has taken stress-related leave.