West Indies star batsman Chris Gayle has come out in support of his former teammate and captain Darren Sammy after he alleged being subjected to racism in the Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Gayle took to Twitter to extend his support to Sammy, reiterating that racism exists in cricket.
“It’s never too late to fight for the right cause or what you’ve experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it’s in the game!!” he tweeted.
It’s never too late to fight for the right cause or what you’ve experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it’s in the game!! ✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿 https://t.co/w7btmQ3cYf
— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) June 9, 2020
Sammy, who was with SRH during 2013-2014, said that his teammates referred to him as ‘kalu’, a word which he thought meant “a strong black man or stallion” in an uplifting manner. However, he came to know the term was derogatory after watching the show The Patriot Act, in which host and comedian Hasan Minhaj used the word as an example to call out racism prevalent in Indian culture.
Sammy said that when he got to know that the term his teammates used to refer to him was degrading, he was angry and demanded an apology, but added that he would get in touch with them to have a conversation.
“I saw all of you guys as my brothers. So, talk to me, reach out to me, please clear the air,” he said in an Instagram video.
Gayle had previously said that he was also a victim of racism and that it existed not only in football, but also cricket.
Sammy had also urged the International Cricket Council to take a stand against racism or be ready to be considered part of the problem. He came out strongly against such discrimination while also calling out people for using racial slurs to refer to him.
The debate on racism in sport was reopened after the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes. Protests have been raging across the US and other countries to stop systemic oppression and discrimination against Black people and other minorities.
