Darren Sammy wants an apology from the Indian players who had called him Kalu during his time with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013-14
Darren Sammy recently revealed that he and Thisara Perera were called “kalu” when they played for the Hyderabad based franchise.
The former West Indies captain posted a video on his Instagram account alleging that some of his teammates used that racist word.
According to him, he came to know about the meaning of the word after watching a show by Indian-American comedian Hasan Minhaj.
“Knowledge is power. 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,” read the post along with the video.
“I have played all over the world and I have been loved by many people, I have embraced all the 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 the video.
“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 in 2013-14, I was being called the exact same word which is degrading to us black people.
“I instantly got very angry about it knowing now what that word meant.
“I will be messaging those people, you guys know who you are. I must admit at that time when I was being called that, I didn’t know what it meant, I thought the word meant strong stallion or whatever it is, and I saw no problems because I was ignorant about what it meant.
“But every time I and Thisara Perera was called with that word, there was laughter at that moment. Me being a team man, I thought teammates are happy, so it must be something funny,” Sammy said.
“Now, I realize that it wasn’t funny. I realize it was degrading, I will be texting you guys and I will ask you ‘when you repeatedly called me over and over again – I was even saying that’s my name – did you all mean it in any bad way or in a degrading way?
“I have had great memories in all dressing rooms I’ve played in, I have always been one to build a team, not bring it down. So all those who used to call me with that word – you guys know yourself – reach out to me, let’s have a conversation. If it was in a bad way then I would be really disappointed, and I’ll still be angry and deserve an apology from you guys as I saw all of you guys as my brothers. So talk to me, reach out to me and clear the air.
“To all the boards – this is why it’s important to take a stand,” Sammy said in the video.