Michael Vaughan has taken the decision to “step back” from his work at the BBC amid the “on-going” conversations surrounding the Yorkshire racism allegations.
Former England captain Vaughan, who has worked at the BBC as a presenter and commentator since 2009, was named in a report into cricketer Azeem Rafiq’s experiences of racism during his time at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Yorkshire and a “number of individuals” were recently charged by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) following an investigation into the allegations of racism, which could lead to the accused being banned or fined by the Board. Vaughan is reportedly one of the individuals who have been charged, but the ECB has not named the accused.
Earlier this week, a letter by BBC staff at the BBC Sport BAME advisory group and the 5 Live diversity advisory group raised concerns about Vaughan’s continued involvement at the BBC.
Last year, the BBC announced Vaughan would not be involved for ‘editorial reasons’ in its coverage of the Ashes in Australia.
The BBC said in a statement: “Following conversations with Michael Vaughan we have accepted his decision to step away from our cricket coverage,” adding “this is a decision we respect and understand. Michael remains under contract to the BBC”.
In a statement released on social media, Vaughan said “stepping back temporarily is also in the interests of the game”.
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 28, 2022
