Yorkshire members approve Graves takeover

LONDON (Agencies): Yorkshire members have approved the refinancing proposal by Colin Graves, which will see the County Championship Division Two cricket club’s former chairman make his return, it was announced on Friday. Graves was chairman of the club between 2012-2015, part of the period during which Yorkshire was accused of failing to address and take adequate action against racist and discriminatory language. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was held in Headingley on Friday, with members voting on one special resolution regarding Graves. “The result of the vote for the special resolution to make a number of changes to the rules of the Club required in relation to a refinancing proposal from Colin Graves as set out in the notice was announced, with members voting in favour of the rule changes,” Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) said in a statement. A total of 746 votes were in favour of the resolution, with 99 voting against. “I would like to express my thanks to the membership of Yorkshire County Cricket Club who have so overwhelmingly voted to ratify the board’s decision to accept my offer to our great club,” Graves said. “Having now been accepted by the board and membership of YCCC, that offer now requires the final approval of the Financial Conduct Authority.” In January, Graves made a public apology, to anyone who suffered racism at the club and for his previous dismissal of racist incidents as banter. Afterwards, former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq said he had received racist messages on social media after the club’s approval of a loan offer from a consortium headed by Graves. Yorkshire were fined £400,000 ($510,560) and handed a 48-point deduction in the County Championship last year after an investigation into racism allegations by Rafiq, who said in 2021 he had been a victim of institutional racism at the club.