Azeem Rafiq: Young cricketers react to racism in cricket scandal
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Find out what children in Yorkshire think about the cricket scandal
Young cricketers have told Newsround that racism has no place in the sport.
It follows accusations of racism over the past few weeks after former professional player Azeem Rafiq shared his experiences at Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC).
The cricketer told MPs on Tuesday that racist language was "constantly" used during his time at the club and the sport was "institutionally" racist.
Children from a club in Yorkshire told Newsround's Martin that Rafiq's treatment was unacceptable and racism in sport must be stopped.
"He's worked very hard to get to that level and it doesn't matter what colour you are, you should all be treated the same," said one young player.
Another added: "[He played] for England, and helped England win to make our country proud - he shouldn't be facing this much racism."
Yorkshire, and other cricket clubs, have been criticised for not doing enough to encourage British Asians to make the step up to the professional game.
Another young player agrees more should be done: "I would like to see more Asians getting into the [Yorkshire] team. Players should report it [racism] if they see something going on."
Racism is when someone is treated differently because of the colour of their skin or their culture.
This can mean treating someone badly because they look different or speak a different language.
Or it can mean bullying someone whose religious beliefs or cultural tradition may mean they wear their hair a certain way dress differently
Institutional racism is when racism is so deep-rooted in an organisation that it affects the way that organisation is run. Racism is accepted or ignored, and those who call it out are often ignored or punished.
Yorkshire County Cricket Club has been criticised for not stamping out racism
Who is Azeem Rafiq and what happened to him?
Azeem Rafiq is a former cricket captain who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) from 2008-2014 and again from 2016-2018. He also represented England at Under-19 level.
Last year, in an interview with sports broadcaster ESPN, Rafiq said that "institutional racism" at YCCC had affected his mental health and that he was in pain every day from the racist behaviour.
Later, an investigation by the club found that Rafiq was the "victim of racial harassment and bullying", but the club has been criticised for not taking action and nobody was punished for their racist actions.
Azeem Rafiq told MPs this week that cricket is 'institutionally racist'
What now?
Azeem Rafiq says he is "determined" that sharing his experiences of racism at Yorkshire will be the moment "not only sport but society as a whole" moves in a different direction.
More than 1,000 people have contacted an inquiry into discrimination in cricket in the past week.
The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) asked for everyone in cricket, at all levels, to share their own experiences of discrimination and inclusion in the game on 8 November.
ICEC chair Cindy Butts said it showed that cricket "must change now".
She added: "Since launching part one of our call for evidence last week, more than 1,000 people have already come forward to share their experiences with us."
Lord Patel, who took over as chairman of Yorkshire County Cricket club on 5 November, also spoke to MPs on Tuesday.
He said: "There is no quick fix to the clear problems which have been identified, and the issues are complex, not least the charge of institutional racism which must be addressed head on."
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