Azeem Rafiq

Azeem Rafiq is an Asian British cricketer who played professionally and was the first Asian person to captain a Yorkshire side, as well as being the youngest man to do so.

He made his senior debut at 17 years of age and he captained the England under-15 and under-19 teams.

While at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Azeem suffered racism and bullying and it took him many years to fully understand the impact of his suffering.

In 2020, he spoke out about the discrimination that not only he faced but discrimination across the game and took legal action against the club hoping to create change across the sport.

His brave actions forced an overhaul of the toxic culture and behaviour both present at the Yorkshire County Cricket Clube and in the sport more widely.

Azeem is keen to use his experience to help society to understand the lived experience and impact of conscious and unconscious bias as well as having a renewed purpose and mission to campaign for a meaningful change in global sport.

An experienced and confident speaker, Azeem has worked with companies such as EE, Network Rail, Linklaters, Google, Boots and Mishcon de Reya discussing topics like the importance of speaking up, navigating cultural barriers and the power of resilience.

Contact Great British Speakers today to book former professional cricket player, author and campaigner against racism in sport Azeem Rafiq for your next event.

Type Of Talent

Equality, Diversity & InclusionKeynoteMental HealthResilienceSpeakerSportVirtual Speakers

More About Azeem Rafiq

Azeem Rafiq | Background

Azeem Rafiq was born in Karachi, Pakistan and moved to England when he was 10 years old. He grew up in Barnsley in South Yorkshire and as a child played cricket for Barnsley Cricket Club and Yorkshire schools sides. In 2006 he captained the England under-15 side.

In 2007 he was Yorkshire’s Junior Performer of the Year and the club’s academy player of the year in 2008 and later that year he made his senior debut for Yorkshire’s First XI in a Twenty20 Cup match.

Azeem Rafiq | Yorkshire’s Racism Scandal

Rafiq said English cricket was “institutionally racist” and his allegations led led to investigations by the club and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) with six former Yorkshire players being sanctioned with fines and, in some cases, bans by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC)

As a consequence of Azeem’s bravery, several other cricketers felt empowered to come forward with their experiences of discrimination. Azeem hopes that future generations of aspiring cricketers will be able to play the game they love without fear of humiliation.

Azeem Rafiq hire Yorkshire Racism British Asian Cricketer speaker book at agent Great British Speakers

In 2023 Yorkshire came to an agreement with the ECB after admitting four charges of bringing the game into disrepute. Six former Yorkshire players and coaches were handed fines and suspensions by The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC)

For Azeem, the experience was about confronting the institutionalised racism that’s been going on for decades in English Cricket and starting to promote change in a community that is very hesitant to change.

Azeem Rafiq | Book and Documentary

Azeem has written his book It’s Not Banter, It’s Racism: What Cricket’s Dirty Secret Reveals About Our Society, published in 2024. He is also involved in a documentary which will tell the story of the racism scandal at Yorkshire.

Azeem Rafiq | Speaking Topic

– Overcoming Adversity
– The Importance of Speaking Up
– Navigating Cultural Barriers
– The Power of Resilience
– Finding Your Purpose
– Diversity and Mental Health Through a Sporting Lens
– Leading the Drive for Change

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book former professional cricket player, author and campaigner against racism in sport Azeem Rafiq for your corporate event.

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Testimonials

Azeem was phenomenal and we have had such positive feedback not only from attendees but also our CEO and COO. Azeem was so great at being able to articulate how he felt when going through adversity and how his faith helped him to overcome these challenges. Azeem was the star of the conference and we would host him again and again and again and again. He truly is remarkable.

The keynote address was delivered by Azeem Rafiq, former professional cricketer for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Azeem courageously presented an unfiltered account of the challenges he faced, vividly detailing his encounters with racism, Islamophobia, harassment, and bullying during his tenure with Yorkshire. In a compelling narrative, he took the delegates on his subsequent journey, which was marked by a commitment to raising awareness and instigating positive change within the sporting community.

Azeem’s keynote address not only served as a powerful testament to the importance of addressing issues of discrimination but also highlighted the power of faith in fostering resilience and promoting positive change.
Nafisa Nathani, HR DE&I Project Manager, Network Rail

Thank you very much, it’s been absolutely wonderful. It’s been one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in this NHS Trust. It’s very powerful stuff and I hope you do see the change that you deserve to see.
Jeremy Vanes, Chair at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust