Amid the anti-racism protests across the world in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, former West Indies skipper Darren Sammy alleged that racist slurs were meted out at him within the SunRisers Hyderabad camp.
On learning the meaning of the word ‘Kalu’, he alleged that the word was directed at him during his Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with the SunRisers Hyderabad. He said that he along with Sri Lanka player Thisara Perera were sometimes called that word when they played for SunRisers Hyderabad.
However, Sammy did not specify who addressed him with this word.
The T20 World Cup-winning Windies skipper has now released a video saying will message all those who directed that word at him.
‘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.
View this post on Instagram
So recently I discovered a word that I was being called was not what it actually meant I need some answers. So before I start calling out names I need these individuals to reach out and please tell me there’s another meaning to that word and when I was being called it,it was all in love. #blackandproud #blackandconfident #clarasboy #saynotoracism #stopracism #cricketer #stlucia
A post shared by daren (@darensammy88) on Jun 8, 2020 at 1:18pm PDT
According to Sammy, when he was being called ‘Kalu’, he was unaware of what it meant. He recalled those calling him by that word laughing afterwards.
‘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 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.
Sammy has vocally supported the George Floyd protests, and appealed to the ICC and other cricket boards to extend their support in the fight against injustice and racism.
