Rafiq, a cricketer of Pakistani descent and former captain of the England Under-19s, revealed last year that he felt isolated at Yorkshire and even considered suicide. Hutton, in his resignation letter, criticized the Yorkshire board and senior management for their reluctance to acknowledge and address racism at the club. He admitted that during his time at the club, he witnessed a resistant culture that did not welcome change or criticism. Hutton, who joined the board after Rafiq's departure, also issued a sincere apology to the 30-year-old player, acknowledging that the club should have taken the allegations of racism more seriously. "I regret that we were unable to convince the executive members of the board to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation and demonstrate concern and remorse." The England cricket board (ECB) has suspended Yorkshire EB from hosting international or major matches, but Hutton mentioned that the ECB was hesitant to take action when approached. "I want to clarify that as soon as I learned of Azeem Rafiq's allegations, I immediately contacted the ECB to request their assistance and involvement in conducting a thorough investigation," Hutton stated. "I was disappointed when they refused to assist, as I believed it was a matter of significant importance for the entire sport. It is on record that I have consistently voiced my frustration with the ECB's reluctance to take action." The CEO of the ECB, Tom Harrison, mentioned that the ECB was invited to participate in a Yorkshire panel of inquiry, but they could not do so as they are the regulator. Harrison clarified that being both a regulator and part of an investigation goes against their role, and he disagreed with the suggestion that the ECB had declined to assist. The ECB previously stated that it would investigate Yorkshire's actions and potentially impose penalties. Rafiq and other high-ranking Yorkshire officials have been summoned to appear before a parliamentary DCMS panel on November 16 to provide testimony.