A sponsor of Yorkshire says the words and actions of Colin Graves will have a “strong bearing” on whether it continues to engage with the club, should he return.

The possibility of Graves coming back to Yorkshire is becoming more likely, as the club’s board will meet on Tuesday to review a proposal from a group that wants him to resume his role as chair. It is believed that he is close to finalizing his return to the club, which is facing financial difficulties. Graves previously held the position of chair from 2012 to 2015 before moving on to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). During his time at Yorkshire, the club was found guilty of not addressing instances of racism and discrimination.

Graves maintains that he was not aware of any discriminatory actions during his tenure at the club, but shockingly insinuated that there was a significant amount of teasing among members.

A former player for Yorkshire, Azeem Rafiq, expressed in a column for the Observer that sponsors should reconsider their support for the club. One of their sponsors, tiling company Al Murad, has stated that they are closely evaluating the situation following the news about Graves.

A representative from Al Murad stated that they are carefully evaluating the situation at Yorkshire Cricket.

“We are currently communicating and anticipate being informed of the progress in securing long-term funding. This will lead to the implementation of constitutional and governance measures to ensure financial stability in the future.”

Based on the conveyed information and communication, we will assess the extent to which equity, equality, representation, and inclusiveness are present in Yorkshire Cricket if Mr. Graves assumes control.

“The deep changes required that Lord Kamlesh Patel subsequently brought about, and future commitment to go above and beyond, will have a strong bearing on how we view any future engagement. Of course the ECB and possibly other actors will have a bearing on the final outcome.”

In 2022, Al Murad, a company from Yorkshire, joined the club as a community partner for a three-year contract. This came after Lord Kamlesh Patel was appointed as the new chair following a racism scandal that caused several sponsors to withdraw their support from the club.

Al Murad’s assistance is displayed on the team uniforms of the county age group, and the partnership and investment with the club are aimed at enhancing the accessibility of the pathway system and eliminating socioeconomic obstacles and coaching biases.

Graves stated that his primary motivation for wanting to go back to Yorkshire was to assist in saving the club.

According to his interview with TalkSport, he stated that the decision now lies with the Yorkshire board. He expressed his genuine and unwavering interest in saving Yorkshire County Cricket Club, as it is a valuable institution that nobody wants to see disappear.

I am motivated to take action because I care about the current state of affairs and want to ensure the survival and success of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Source: theguardian.com