Michael Vaughan has told of a two-year nightmare for him and his family before he was cleared of making racist remarks. The former England captain said his life was almost destroyed after being “cancelled” – including by the BBC – as was assumed to be “guilty until proven innocent”.
On Friday, Vaughan was cleared of using racist language towards Azeem Rafiq, his ex-Yorkshire teammate, and three others at Trent Bridge in June 2009.
A disciplinary inquiry ruled he did not say to the players of South Asian heritage: “There’s too many of you lot, we need to do something about that.”
Vaughan, 48, burst into tears on hearing he had been cleared.
His wife, Nichola, had been taking beta-blockers for stress and waking up at night “crying her eyes out”.
Vaughan, awarded an OBE for leading England to Ashes glory in 2005, said: “She knows how hard I have worked for 32 years and she could see that it was falling apart. I got a sense people wanted to see the back of me.
“I’ve been telling people that I’ve not been watching cricket, putting this screen up to suggest that I could do without it. But cricket is my life. It’s all I really know.”
The dad of three attempted to protect his family. He said: “I’ve tried to stay strong. I said to Nichola, ‘Even if it goes against us, it’ll be fine,’ knowing full well that it would not.
“She has struggled more than anybody. She’s better today, but it’s going to take time.
“My kids were getting direct messages, saying ‘Your dad’s a racist.’ That’s when I knew I was in a very difficult situation.”
He worried about his parents Graham and Dee. He said: “In their last years they’re going to be seeing their lad… That hit me hard.”
He said being “cancelled” is “so dangerous”, adding: “You’re now guilty until proven innocent. Whatever the accusation thrown at you, people on social media just will not allow you to carry on with your life while it’s over your head.
“I hope that in time people realise that it’s not a fair process when accusations hit somebody’s doorstep and they’re not allowed a proper process to clear their name before they get cancelled.”
The BBC, who pulled Vaughan’s Radio 5 show over the allegations, want him back as a commentator on Test Match Special for this summer’s Ashes. He has still to make a decision on his return.
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Cricket News Click Here
