Colin Graves originally pulled out of the running to be Yorkshire chair in June 2023

Colin Graves has apologised for the Yorkshire racism scandal as he looks set to return to power at the club.

Graves' previous spell was part of the period for which the club was fined for failing to address the systemic use of discriminatory or racist language.

"The mistakes must be acknowledged and acted upon," said Graves, 75.

Graves, who was chair of Yorkshire between 2012 and 2015, has previously denied knowledge of any racist behaviour during his time at the club.

He will return as chair if the takeover is approved by members.

In a statement released on Thursday, he added: "I apologise personally and unreservedly to anyone who experienced any form of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

"Discrimination or abuse based on race, ethnicity or any other protected characteristic is not and never will be acceptable."

Former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq, who is calling on the club's sponsors to oppose Graves' return,external-link detailed allegations of racism during his two spells at Headingley for the first time in 2020, leading to investigations by the club and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Last year, the ECB criticised Graves for suggesting some incidents of racism at the county were "banter".

Graves' comments followed six former Yorkshire players being sanctioned with fines and bans by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) after they were found to have used racist language at the club during Rafiq's time there from 2008-2014 and 2016-2018.

"I profoundly regret some of the language I used when asked about the events that took place when I was chairman, at a time when I was no longer at the club," added Graves, who was ECB chair from 2015 to 2020.

"I understand and sympathise with those who regarded my comments as dismissive or uncaring.

"I am determined to do whatever is required to ensure Yorkshire County Cricket Club continues to reflect the communities it represents. The club cannot and will not succeed unless it is united in its commitment to meet the highest professional standards, on and off the field."

Graves' return will save Yorkshire from a perilous financial position, with debts of £17m scheduled to be repaid by October. He will advance an unsecured loan of £1m to the club if the takeover is approved.

He previously bailed out Yorkshire in 2002, with the county revealing last year it needed to repay £14.9m of that loan to the family trust owned by Graves.

Yorkshire lost sponsors over its handling of the racism scandal and also had to agree compensation packages with sacked staff who won claims for unfair dismissal.

The ECB initially withdrew Yorkshire's right to stage lucrative international matches at Headingley and only reinstated it after major governance changes were enacted under former chair Lord Patel.

Yorkshire said it had "exhausted all other options" and that Graves' deal was "the only viable option it had to secure the financial future of the club".

Graves will be joined on the board by former Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president Phillip Hodson, Sanjay Patel, who recently left his post as managing director of The Hundred, and Sanjeev Gandhi, previously a non-executive director of the ECB.

If Hodson, Patel and Gandhi are appointed then the new board will arrange further funding of up to £4m over a five-month period.

Yorkshire also said they sought deals where the county would remain a members' club, which "had the effect of reducing the pool of prospective and viable investors".

However, Graves is understood to be proposing to change Yorkshire from a members' club into a private limited company.

'Words must be put into action' - ECB Yorkshire CEO Stephen Vaughan talks to BBC's Dan Roan about Graves takeover

A report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), released last year, found racism, sexism, classism and elitism are "widespread" in English and Welsh cricket.

Graves said he wanted to "make it clear" the club accept the finding of the ICEC report and its recommendations, adding the equality, diversity and inclusion work done by Yorkshire will continue if he returns as chair.

"Yorkshire must be a club that is open and welcoming to everyone who shares a passion for the game, from every part of society," he added.

The ECB said: "Considerable work has been carried out at Yorkshire - and across cricket more widely - in recent years to tackle discrimination and make the game more inclusive, and it is vital this continues.

"We welcome Colin Graves' commitment to continue this work, his unreserved apology and acceptance of the findings of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC). These words must be put into action if Yorkshire members approve this deal."

Yorkshire were docked points in two competitions and fined by the CDC for their handling of the Rafiq racism scandal.

The ECB said it has "significant powers" that can be used to hold Yorkshire to account "if it does not continue with the progress and reform we have seen over the last few years".

Rafiq said on Tuesday it is "inevitable" the members will approve Graves' takeover but warned them to "be careful what you wish for in terms of his plan for the club".

Charity Sporting Equals has said Graves' return would "make a mockery" of victims of racism, while Clive Efford MP, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) select committee, has called it a "disaster".

A club sponsor also previously said it was "reviewing the situation very closely".