FORMER Yorkshire player Rafiq has laid bare the full extent of his harrowing experience during an emotional appearance in front of MPs.

Rafiq has been waiting for the chance to air his full allegations in the public arena and yesterday’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee allowed him to do just that with the protection of parliamentary privilege.

Rafiq, 30, fought back tears as he spoke for over 90 minutes, interrupted only by one brief adjournment when emotion got the better of him.

The ex player concluded that racial discrimination, and his decision to take a stand against it, had cost him his career in a sport that he feels has ingrained problems above and beyond his own story.

Most graphically of all, Rafiq revealed that as an aspiring 15-year-old club cricketer and and a practising Muslim he had been restrained while red wine was poured down his throat.

Asked if he could identify a single individual who had stood up for him or called out acts of racism at the time, he was unable to summon a name, adding: “You had people who were openly racist and you had the bystanders. No one felt it was important.”

In terms of specifics, Rafiq was clear that the word ‘P***’ was used “constantly” at Yorkshire and in the wider game, said he had heard the phrase “elephant washer” and experienced offensive references to corner shops.

He said: “There just seemed to be an acceptance from the leaders and nobody wanted to stamp it out.

"People said things like ‘getting subs out of Asian players is like getting blood from a stone’.

"It is scary that (Bradford’s) Adil Rashid is the only British-born South Asian member of the Yorkshire playing staff.

"I think Yorkshire has been in denial all along. Mark Arthur (Yorkshire’s former chief executive) resigned and there was no remorse.

"In my first spell, I was in denial. (I came back because) I had to put food on the table. The first few months I back, I thought things had changed.

"At the end of 2016, the temperature in the room changed though. Andrew Gale came in as coach and so did a ‘White Rose Culture’. I felt isolated and humiliated.

“They (Yorkshire) felt untouchable and thought little old Azeem Rafiq nobody will believe him.

"I don’t want everybody to just throw the book at Yorkshire, it is happening up and down the country.”

Rafiq revisited a longstanding grievance against director of cricket Martyn Moxon.

He described the “inhuman” treatment by Moxon who “got me in a room and literally ripped shreds off me” on his return to the club after the stillbirth of his son.

Later, he said an official complaint about bullying in 2017 directly led to his subsequent release, for fear that he may continue to raise issues around his treatment.

Rafiq was scathing about the assistance offered by the Professional Cricketers’ Association and the personal development manager he was assigned by the organisation, Matthew Wood. Wood, he claimed, was working “for Yorkshire, with Yorkshire” and not in his best interests.

On the subject of Gary Ballance’s use of the word ‘Kevin’, Rafiq explained: “Kevin was something Gary used to describe anyone of colour in a very derogatory manner.

"It was an open secret in the England dressing room.

"Mine and Gary’s relationship started deteriorating in 2013 due to Gary’s conduct. At one point, his behaviour was so disgusting that I discussed with the agent that we shared.”

Roger Hutton, who resigned as chair on November 5, told the committee he felt Arthur and Moxon should be removed for their response to the report.

However, the trust of former chairman Graves vetoed that move, according to Hutton.

Hutton also repeated his claim that he asked the ECB to lead the investigation.

The ECB said it declined because it wanted to be in a position to review the regulatory process in full at its completion.

Hutton was asked whether, in his view, the club was institutionally racist. “I fear that it falls within the definition (of institutional racism).”

ECB CEO Tom Harrison stopped short of agreeing with Hutton and said he felt the handling of the report “indicates there are some certain issues of institutional racism” at Yorkshire.

New chair Lord Kamlesh Patel, of Bradford, told the committee: “You see a lot of denial, you see a lot of sadness.

"This is an organisation that’s been hammered left, right and centre, maybe for the right reasons.

"Changes are going to have to be made and it’s not going to be overnight, but we have got to move on it, really quickly and really hard. I’m prepared to take whatever decisions I need to take.

“It pains me that it (racism) is prevalent in cricket. It is up to us to look at all the reports and work out a way forward.

“This is a watershed moment. I want to make this the best county cricket club in the world for having the right culture and values.

"My initial process is to set-up the hotline which went live yesterday. We will do everything possibly to keep it independent."

Rafiq added: Within our community, when we get to academy to professional game, everything I have spoken about is a challenge.

"Whenever there is an initiative it goes to the grassroots. It doesn't deal with the dressing room.

"I can't imagine as a parent why you would let your children go anywhere near cricket. I don't want my son too.

"I hope in five years' time we are going to see a big change, that I did something far bigger than any runs or any wickets I got."