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LONDON. — Yorkshire chief executive Mark Arthur has resigned over the club’s response to racism experienced by Azeem Rafiq.

A report found former Yorkshire player Rafiq was a victim of “racial harassment and bullying” but the county said it would not discipline anyone.

Former Zimbabwe youth international, Gary Balance, is at the centre of the storm after revealing he was the player who used some offensive remarks to Rafiq.

Balance insists it was banter and says he has always had a good relationship with his former teammate.

“To be clear — I deeply regret some of the language I used in my younger years,’’ he said.

“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.

Given my incredibly close relationship with Rafa over the years I am saddened that it has come to this.”

The club’s investigation panel had cleared Ballance of wrongdoing, saying his use of the term was part of regular “friendly verbal attack” between the two players.

Rafiq, however, drew censure in the report for using the term “Zimbo” in reference to Ballance’s Zimbabwean heritage.

Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton resigned last Friday, and on Monday, Lord Patel took over, apologising to Rafiq.

Lord Patel also said that Rafiq should be praised for showing bravery as a whistleblower.

On Tuesday, Yorkshire suspended coach Andrew Gale for a tweet he sent in 2010.

Martyn Moxon, their director of cricket, is absent from work because of a “stress-related illness” and “will be given the necessary support”.

Yorkshire have been suspended from hosting international matches by the England and Wales Cricket Board and a host of sponsors have ended their deals with the club.

England Test skipper, Joe Root, said he wanted to see change at the club he has played for all his career.

“I want to see change and actions that will see Yorkshire County Cricket Club rise from this with a culture that harnesses a diverse environment with trust across all communities that support cricket in the county,’’ he said. “I will reach out to YCCC new chair Lord Patel to offer support, however I’m able.”

In a statement yesterday, Lord Patel said of Arthur: “We thank him for his tenure.

“This is an important moment for the club, which is ready to move forward with new leadership, which will be vital in driving the change we urgently need.

“We know there is still much work to be done and more difficult decisions to be made. We need to rebuild the trust of the fans, the cricketing world and the public.”

In his statement, Arthur did not reference Rafiq but did list 10 achievements from his time at the club.

They including the financing and construction of the new South Stand at Headingley, as well as back-to-back County Championship wins and the club’s six year south Asian engagement programme.

“I’ve had eight fantastic years at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, working alongside an outstanding group of people, and together achieving many highlights,” he said.

Rafiq publicly detailed his experiences at Yorkshire, which left him close to taking his own life, for the first time in September 2020.

In September 2021, a year after Rafiq went public with his allegations, Yorkshire released its own summary findings of the report and subsequently said no-one would be disciplined.

But the investigation was widely criticised after it reportedly found a racist term about Rafiq’s Pakistani heritage was regularly used towards him while at the club and concluded it was “friendly and good-natured banter”.