I've got scars but no regrets from speaking out, says Azeem Rafiq

Azeem Rafiq has faced threats, abuse and claimed to have been driven out of the country since speaking out against racism in cricket.

But, reflecting on the past few years, he says he doesn't "regret it at all".

"It was a lot for me, for my family, but they've been there with me throughout," he tells BBC Asian Network.

The ex-cricketer has spoken openly, and often emotionally, about his experiences during his time as a player in Yorkshire.

A 2023 hearing found Rafiq's allegations against five former players were proven, and that the group had brought the game into disrepute through their use of racist and/or discriminatory language.

"The more I've spoken about it, the easier it's got for me. But still, there are certain aspects that really take me back to them days," he says.

Rafiq says there have been negative and positive sides to speaking out.

On one hand he says parents whose children have experienced racism have told him they've felt empowered to speak up.

But, on the other, Rafiq says he still hears about cases where complaints "fall on deaf ears".

"In most cases, people will get tired and leave it," he says.

"I would hope that people will think twice now before using racial language."

Born in Pakistan, Azeem says the country helped spark his love of cricket.

He moved to the UK in 2001, the year of the 9/11 terror attacks, and says that was when he first encountered racism.

"A lot has changed, a lot hasn't," he says.

"We don’t have the same level of vile, violent attacks."

But in Rafiq's view some things feel "arguably worse" for British Muslims today than they did 20 years ago.

"The rhetoric, language, the division, [and] the othering" can be "exactly the same", he says.

"How are we in a situation, in 2024, that we're still fighting just to have simple dignity and respect":[]}