SALFORD, England (AP) 鈥� Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan was dropped by the BBC on Wednesday because of his involvement in the racism controversy enveloping county club Yorkshire.
Vaughan has been accused of using racially insensitive comments toward a group of players of Asian ethnicity in 2009 while they were at Yorkshire.
Vaughan has denied the allegations and said his reputation has been 鈥渢rashed unfairly,鈥� calling it 鈥渢he worst thing I have ever experienced.鈥�
The BBC, which uses Vaughan as a pundit, said it wasn鈥檛 currently appropriate for him to have a role in coverage of the upcoming Ashes series against Australia and for wider elements of the sport 鈥渨hile he is involved in a significant story in cricket.鈥�
鈥淲e require our contributors to talk about relevant topics,鈥� the broadcaster said in a statement, 鈥渁nd his involvement in the Yorkshire story represents a conflict of interest.鈥�
Azeem Rafiq, the whistleblower whose revelations about the racism and bullying he suffered at Yorkshire has sparked a crisis in the English game, was the first to make the allegation that Vaughan said in 2009 of the four players of Asian heritage: 鈥淭here are too many of you lot; we need to do something about it.鈥�
Rafiq was one of the four players in question. Two more 鈥� Adil Rashid and Pakistan international Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 鈥� have also said they overheard Vaughan鈥檚 alleged remarks.
Vaughan might still be heard in Britain during the Ashes through his scheduled work for Australian rights-holder Fox Sports, which will provide the audio for BT Sport鈥檚 coverage of the series.
鈥淰ery disappointed not to be commentating for TMS (Test Match Special) on the Ashes and will miss working with great colleagues & friends," Vaughan wrote on his Instagram account, referring to the BBC radio program, 鈥渂ut looking forward to being behind the mic for @foxcricket in Australia.鈥�
Vaughan said the issues facing cricket 鈥渁re bigger than any individual case.鈥�
"I want to be part of the solution, listening, educating myself and helping to make it a more welcoming sport for all,鈥� he wrote.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has suspended Yorkshire from hosting international matches over its 鈥渨holly unacceptable鈥� response to the racism faced by Rafiq, while some of the club鈥檚 sponsors are ending deals.
Last week, British sports minister Nigel Huddleston called for cricket to 鈥済et its house in order鈥� and raised the possibility of independent regulation if it did not.
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The Associated Press
