'Reach Out Before I Start Calling Names': Darren Sammy Alleges Racism Within IPL Team SunRisers Hyderabad's Camp

Darren Sammy, the hard hitting Windies all-rounder, revealed that he along with Sri Lanka cricketer Thisara Perera were subjected to 'Kalu' chants when they played for SunRisers Hyderabad.

Image tweeted by Darren Sammy

Former West Indies World Cup winning skipper Darren Sammy has created a flutter in the cricketing fraternity after he released a video, alleging racism within IPL franchisee SunRisers Hyderabad camp. The video released by the Windies T20 stalwart comes at back of him losing his cool after he learnt the meaning of the word 'Kalu,' a racial jibe which was directed at him during his Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with SunRisers Hyderabad. The hard hitting Windies all-rounder revealed that he along with Sri Lanka cricketer Thisara Perera were subjected to 'Kalu' chants when they played for SunRisers Hyderabad. However, at that time, the Sammy did not specify as to who used to direct these slurs at him, but now the player has released a video, saying he will message all those who called him with 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.

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. I saw u as brothers https://t.co/Ouf7eh5Yu8

— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) June 9, 2020

"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 didn't know the meaning, 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.

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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

"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. Sammy along with his Windies team mate Chris Gayle has been a vocal supporter of the wide scale rampant protests that are currently going on in the United States over the death of an African-American man named George Floyd. Sammy had also made an appeal to the ICC and other cricket boards to support the fight against social injustice and racism.