Yorkshire suspend first-team coach pending disciplinary hearing over historical tweet

Director of cricket Martyn Moxon is also absent

Yorkshire are under pressure to deal with the racism crisis engulfing the club (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Wire)

Yorkshire have suspended first-team coach Andrew Gale “pending a disciplinary hearing following an historic tweet” while director of cricket Martyn Moxon is absent from work due to a “stress related illness”.

Gale had told the Jewish News last week he had been “completely unaware” of the meaning of an offensive, anti-Semitic word he used in an historic and subsequently deleted tweet, after the newspaper reported the story.

A statement from the club read: “We can confirm that Andrew Gale, Yorkshire first XI coach, is currently suspended pending a disciplinary hearing following an historic tweet.

“The club will make a further statement once this process has been completed.”

Meanwhile Moxon, who has faced calls to resign from former chairman Roger Hutton in addition to numerous others, is currently absent from Headingley.

“Director of cricket Martyn Moxon is, as of today (9 November), absent from work due to a stress related illness. He will be given the necessary support,” a club statement added.

Yorkshire have suspended first-team coach Andrew Gale “pending a disciplinary hearing following an historic tweet” while director of cricket Martyn Moxon is absent from work due to a “stress related illness”.

Azeem Rafiq has repeatedly called for Moxon and chief executive Mark Arthur to leave Yorkshire in response to the racism crisis at Headingley.

He said in a statement on Monday: “Mark Arthur, Martyn Moxon and many of those in the coaching staff have been part of the problem.

“They have consistently failed to take responsibility for what happened on their watch and must go. I urge them to do the right thing and resign to make way for those who will do what is needed for the club’s future.”

Rafiq has repeatedly called for Moxon and chief executive Mark Arthur to leave Yorkshire in response to the racism crisis at Headingley.

Yorkshire also confirmed that the club had shared a copy of the report looking into the allegations made by Rafiq with England’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

PA