Gary Ballance accused of calling non-white players ‘Kevin’ in Azeem Rafiq report

Gary Ballance has been accused of referring “to black people as Kevin as a derogatory term” in the latest allegation to emerge from the Yorkshire racism report

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Gary Ballance was reportedly accused of calling non-white players “Kevin” in the report into allegations of racism at Yorkshire.

Ballance, 31, admitted to using a racial slur against former team-mate Azeem Rafiq and has stated he “deeply regrets” some of the language he used.

Despite his admission, the panel charged with making conclusions and recommendations from the report deemed his use of the phrase “P***” to be “friendly banter”.

Now, the Telegraph claim that there were other accusations levelled at Ballance in the report.

It is claimed that Ballance “referred to black people as Kevin as a derogatory term” and there are suggestions the use of the phrase is ‘linked to the name of another player’s pet dog’.

A separate allegation included in the report claimed that Ballance also called Rafiq “Rafa the Kaffir”.

However, the panel threw out that allegation and lawyers representing the former England batter have ‘strenuously denied’ it.

The panel concluded that “on the balance of probabilities, the team do not find that the term ‘Rafa the Kaffir’ was used towards AR [Azeem Rafiq] as alleged or at all”.

In a statement published last week, Ballance said: “To be clear – I deeply regret some of the language I used in my younger years.

“The independent enquiry, having heard all of the evidence, accepted that the context of some of the language used was in a ‘friendly verbal attack’ between friends which was not intended to offend or hurt and that no malice was intended.

“I am aware of how hurtful the racial slur is and I regret that I used this word in immature exchanges in my younger years and I am sure Rafa feels the same about some of the things he said to me as well.

“My intention, during this whole process, has been to be honest and cooperate with the independent investigation.”