Hales defends Figure 2009 appears to show it at Blackface

Former British Batsman Alex Hales has defended a old photo appearing to show him in Blackface at a costume party, and said it was award for the end of the Shakur Rapper Tupac Shakur.
The Sun newspaper published a picture on Thursday and said it was taken at the New Year’s Eve party in 2009.
“In 2009, I attended the New Year’s Eve Tribute Music Party costumes,” Hales, 32, to The Sun.
“I’m wearing respect for my hero of music, Tupac Shakur, someone I admire since childhood and, at that time, was not aware of this offensive nature.” I echo my statement from the beginning of the week and stress how much I regretted racism and discrimination in all its forms.
“Read Alsosomerset Seamer Jack Brooks apologized to Cheteshwar Pujara More ‘Steve’ Nicknames Comerset Seamer Jack Brooks on Thursday apologized to Cheteshwar Pujara for his role in nicknaming Indian Specialist Test ‘Steve’ During Time in Yorkshire.The Sun said the Cricket Council of England and Wales (ECB) was investigating this issue.
Reuters was unable to get comments from the ECB.
Earlier this week, the former Yorkshire Cricket Azeem Rafiq player, a Pakistani descent player , testify in front of a British parliamentary committee and talked about the discrimination that he faced when Yorkshire, said sports in the UK was full of racism.
Read Alsoex-Yorkshire Azeem Rafiq players apologize for my anti-Semit Ssagesazeem Rafiq, a former British cricket player This said he had lost his career for racism, Meng I was on Thursday he sent anti-Semitic messages as Teenager.on Wednesday, Hales denied there was a “racial connotation” in the name of his dog Kevin after charges by Rafiq.
Julian Knight MP, Chairman of the British Parliament Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee (DCMS), said the photo was “very disturbing and offensive”.
“This picture – comes behind a week when cricket is shy like before – which is very disturbing and offensive,” said the Knight of the Sun.
“The soul from British cricket is now at stake.”