Intimidation and abuse forces Azeem Rafiq and his family from their homes

The Cricketer understands the decision was prompted by a spate of threats made both online and in person in recent times. In one case, captured by CCTV earlier in October, an individual was seen defecating in Azeem's parents' garden

Azeem Rafiq is set to move abroad in a bid to protect his family from further abuse and intimidation.

Azeem, whose allegations of racism at Yorkshire sparked a series of reviews into the culture of the sport, will move overseas in the coming weeks. His wife, children and parents will move with him.

The Cricketer understands the decision was prompted by a spate of threats made both online and in person in recent times. In one case, captured by CCTV earlier this month, an individual was seen defecating in the garden of the home where his parents live. In another, a masked intruder was seen prowling around the outside of the property.

Other threats of violence have been made both online and to Azeem or his staff in the chip shop he owns with Adil Rashid. The police are investigating. 

In most cases, the incidents have followed negative media coverage about him. After one recent article, Sporting Equals - an arm of Sport England - released a statement criticising a piece which it said "exacerbates the victim-blaming culture and fuels institutional racism".

Kick It Out, the anti-racism organisation, is also understood to be preparing a case on the media coverage of the episode. 

^{Azeem Rafiq and his family are to move overseas to avoid abuse and intimidation [Getty Images]}

Azeem is understood to be particularly concerned for the health of his father, who suffers from a medical condition which necessitates the use of an oxygen tank at all times; he has become quite distressed by recent developments. 

Azeem's move follows that of his sister, Amna, a few months ago. She left her job at Yorkshire after she and the club were informed that the police could not guarantee her safety. 

While the ECB and PCA have both offered to contribute to increasing the security around him, Azeem has now decided that the burden of his whistleblowing on his family is unreasonable.

He remains determined, however, to continue his campaign to rid the sport of racism and has committed to providing further evidence to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee in the coming weeks. He is also a key witness in the Cricket Discipline Commission's case against several present and past Yorkshire players and coaches. 

There is a certain grim irony in Azeem's decision. His family came to the UK from Pakistan as asylum seekers after a business partner of his father was murdered following a bungled kidnapping attempt. It seems the UK turned out not to be the sanctuary the family expected.