Gary Ballance, an English cricketer, has apologised to Azeem Rafiq for using racial slurs at the former Yorkshire teammate.
The 32-year-old had acknowledged using a racial epithet towards Rafiq in a long statement from back in November. Now, after a visit with Rafiq in London this week, he has expressed his regret in person.
Ballance last competed for Yorkshire in September of last year. He has played for England in 23 Tests and 16 ODIs. Rafiq was accused by the ECB in June of this year for bringing the game into disrepute, along with six other people and the club itself, in response to his initial claims of racism and harassment against the club.
"I've been wanting to see Azeem for a while, but I had to wait until I was in a decent frame of mind. Azeem is aware of my delay because he has experienced similar difficulties with his mental health. I sincerely apologise to Azeem for the language I used when we were playing together "In a statement on Thursday, Ballance stated.
"I did occasionally use offensive and racial remarks. I would have stopped doing this right away if I had known how much it was hurting Azeem. I wanted to meet him this week to make it obvious in person that I had no ill will toward him. That's not an excuse, I know my wording was incorrect.
"I hope that acknowledging that the words I used were incorrect from the start will bring some comfort to Azeem.
"This type of behaviour has no place in our sport, and I'm determined to do my part to eradicate prejudice from the game and promote inclusivity. To accomplish this, we must all be sincere and reflect on our previous transgressions "he added.
Rafiq, whose career came to an end in 2018, welcomed Ballance's apology and remarked that his old teammate deserved praise for his candour.
"All I ever wanted when I first started talking about my experiences was acceptance and regret for what happened. Gary has the courage to tell the truth, and I can see why the mental pressure prevented him from apologising sooner. Gary deserves praise for his candour and heartfelt apologies, and he should now be given permission to move on with his life "Rafiq remarked.
"Many people, including Gary, made mistakes. Institutional racism in cricket is the fundamental problem. Due of Gary's bravery, he is now a contributor to the solution. Gary, please accept my gratitude. With these statements, he has done both cricket and the fight against racism a huge service "he said.
Notably, in his lengthy statement to a select committee for digital, culture, media, and sport last year, Rafiq claimed that English cricket was "institutionally" racist.
His testimony prompted changes in Yorkshire's management, the temporary removal of international matches from Headingley, and the creation of a 12-point plan by the England and Wales Cricket Board to address racism in the sport.
Since then, the ECB has released a five-point plan to combat racism and prejudice, which calls for a "complete examination of dressing-room culture."