Darren Sammy reveals racist term was used to refer to him during IPL
'I thought it meant strong Stallion. My previous post tells me something different and I am angry,' says Sammy
June 06, 2020
Former West Indies skipper Darren Sammy has revealed he faced racism while playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Indian Premier League as he was called "kalu".
The Peshawar Zalmi captain said that he did not know the meaning of the word back then and it was only recently he discovered what it meant.
"I just learnt what that kalu meant when I played for Sunrisers in the IPL. They called me and Perera by that name. I thought it meant strong Stallion. My previous post tells me something different and I am angry," the former skipper wrote in an Instagram story.
As the voices against racial discrimination grow louder, Sammy has not taken a back seat and has been active in voicing his concerns over the matter.
"For too long black people have suffered. I’m all the way in St Lucia and I’m frustrated. If you see me as a teammate then you see #GeorgeFloyd. Can you be part of the change by showing your support," he wrote, urging his supporters to act.
Calling out the International Cricket Council, he said that he wanted to "hear" its voice and that "now is not the time to be silent".
"For too long black people have suffered. I’m all the way in St Lucia and I’m frustrated If you see me as a teammate then you see #GeorgeFloyd Can you be part of the change by showing your support," he said.
"@ICC and all the other boards are you guys not seeing what’s happening to ppl like me? Are you not gonna speak against the social injustice against my kind. This is not only about America. This happens everyday #BlackLivesMatter now is not the time to be silent. I wanna hear u," he added.
Since the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, protests have erupted across the United States and the UK, with the masses demanding an end to racial discrimination.
The protests, sparked by a police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes as he pleaded for his life, took place amid a roiling controversy over officers' use of force against largely peaceful demonstrators.
