Darren Sammy alleges racism within SunRisers Hyderabad camp [Watch]
Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy has put out a video, alleging racism inside the Sun Risers Hyderabad camp. Previously, the cricketer had become furious after finding out the meaning of the word ‘Kalu’, which he says was directed at him during his Indian Premier League stint with the Hyderabad based franchise.
Sammy had told that he along with Sri Lanka’s Thisara Perera were sometimes called using that word when they were at SunRisers. However, the former West Indies captain did not say who directed these slurs at him, but now the player has put out a video, stating that he will message all those who called him that word.
"I have played all over the world and I have been loved by many people, I have embraced all dressing rooms where I have played, so I was listening to Hasan Minhaj as to how some of the people in his culture describe black people," Sammy said in a video posted on his Instagram account.
"This does not apply to all people, so after I found out a meaning of a certain word, I had said I was angry on finding out the meaning and it was degrading, instantly I remembered when I played for SunRisers Hyderabad, I was being called exactly the same word which is degrading to us black people," he added.
Sammy said that at the time when he was being called with the word, he did not know what it meant, and his team-mates used to laugh every time after calling him by that name.
"I will be messaging those people, you guys know who you are, I must admit at that time when I was being called as that word I thought the word meant strong stallion or whatever it is, I did not know what it meant, every time I was called with that word, there was laughter at that moment, I thought teammates are laughing so it must be something funny," Sammy said.
"Now, I realise it was degrading, I will be texting you guys and I will ask you as to when you called me with that name, did you all mean it in any bad way or form? I have had great memories in all my dressing rooms, so all those who used to you call me with that word, think about it, let's have a conversation, if it was in a bad way then I would be really disappointed," he added.
Darren Sammy has been very vocal supporterof the protest that are currently going on in the US over the demise of George Floyd.
The former West Indies skipper had also made an appeal to the ICC and other cricket boards to support the fight against social injustice and racism.
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First published: 9 June 2020, 14:40 IST