Yorkshire County Cricket coach suspended over 'historic tweet'

9 November 2021, 18:06 | Updated: 9 November 2021, 20:58

A Yorkshire County Cricket coach has been suspended over a "historic tweet", the club has announced.

Yorkshire first-team coach Andrew Gale was suspended "pending a disciplinary hearing" over the tweet, while the director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, is absent from work due to a "stress related illness".

There have been calls for Moxon to resign in recent days, over Yorkshire's handling of racism allegations by former player Azeem Rafiq.

A statement from the club read: "We can confirm that Andrew Gale, Yorkshire first XI coach, is currently suspended pending a disciplinary hearing following an historic tweet.

"The club will make a further statement once this process has been completed."

Gale had previously told the Jewish News that he had been "completely unaware" of the meaning of an offensive, anti-Semitic word he used in a historic and subsequently deleted tweet, after the newspaper reported the story.

Read more: Gary Ballance admits using 'racial slur' against Azeem Rafiq

Read more: Second Asian ex-Yorkshire cricketer 'comes forward alleging racial abuse'

The statement added: "Director of cricket Martyn Moxon is, as of today (9 November), absent from work due to a stress related illness. He will be given the necessary support."

It comes after England cricketer Rafiq came forward to say he had experienced "racial harassment and bullying" at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, but the club had failed to take any disciplinary action.

He said in a statement on Monday: "Mark Arthur, Martyn Moxon and many of those in the coaching staff have been part of the problem.

"They have consistently failed to take responsibility for what happened on their watch and must go. I urge them to do the right thing and resign to make way for those who will do what is needed for the club's future."

The chairman of the club, Roger Hutton, resigned following the revelation, with Lord Patel taking over as both chair and director.

The Government has called on the club to take "real action" over the racism allegations moving forward.