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04

Nov 2021

Last Updated: 04/11/2021
Business
Business

Harrogate Spring Water ends sponsorship with Yorkshire County Cricket

by Calvin Robinson

| 04 Nov, 2021
Comment

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Harrogate Spring Water becomes the second company based in the Harrogate district to cut ties with Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The company said this afternoon it was 'deeply concerned' about the way the club handled racism allegations from Azeem Rafiq.

yorkshire-cricket-april-2016
Harrogate spring water and Yorkshire cricket

Harrogate Spring Water has ended its sponsorship with Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

The company follows Yorkshire Tea, which is also based in Harrogate, in cutting ties with the club.

Yorkshire, which has many members and supporters in the district, has been fiercely criticised for saying it didn’t plan to take any disciplinary action against individuals following an investigation into the allegations by former player Azeem Rafiq.

Now, Harrogate Spring Water, which was among the club’s main commercial partners, has confirmed its sponsorship will end with “immediate affect”.

In a statement, the company said:

“We were deeply concerned at the details that have emerged in recent days surrounding the treatment of Azeem Rafiq at Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the way in which the club’s current leadership have handled the important issues that have been raised.
“As a result, Harrogate Spring Water has taken the decision to end its sponsorship agreement with the club with immediate effect. We will be making no further comment on this matter.”


Harrogate Spring Water first became the official water of the club in 2014.



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Both Harrogate companies follow Emerald Publishing and Anchor butter in ending their association with the club. David Lloyd Clubs said its sponsorship had been "put on hold a few weeks ago" and would not be reinstated.

Mark Ellis, chairman of Masham Cricket Club, told the Stray Ferret this week that the county club’s actions “sent mixed messages” to grassroots cricket and that the club was “extremely disappointed” in Yorkshire’s actions.

Senior Yorkshire officials and Rafiq are due to appear before MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee later this month.