Darren Sammy has posted a five-minute video, opening up on the 'degrading word' used to address him during his time at Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.
West Indies cricketer Darren Sammy has issued a five-minute-long video where he opened up on the 'degrading' slur he faced during his time at Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Last week, Sammy posted an Instagram story where he said that he was called by the term 'Kalu' during his time at SRH and that he never realized that it was used to mockingly address Black people.
On Tuesday morning, Sammy posted the video where he talked in detail about being addressed by the term, saying that it was "degrading." He also said that he knows who addressed him with the slur and that he will text them, while adding that he deserves an apology.
He took to Instagram to post the video.
"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," he captioned.
"I was listening to Hasan Minhaj talking about how some of the people in culture describe Black people. It doesn't apply to everybody, but I see this because of something I experienced. I said I was angry when I heard him describing the word. It was seen not in a good way, it was degrading," Sammy said.
"Instantly, I remembered when I was playing for SRH in 2013 and 2014, I was being called the exact same word that he described, that was degrading to us Black people. I was instantly very angry about it, knowing now what it meant.
"I will be messaging those people - you guys know who you are. I must admit at the time I was being called that, I didn't know what it mean. I thought it meant strong stallion - and I saw no problems with it. I was ignorant to the fact that I didn't know what it meant. I thought it was uplifting. (ALSO READ: On this day: Virat's gesture for Steve Smith wins hearts)
"Every time I was called it, it was me and Thisara Perera. There was always laughter in the moment. I thought, 'hey, teammates are happy. It must be something funny'. Now, you could understand my frustration and anger when it was pointed out that it wasn't funny at all. It was degrading."
"I will be texting you guys, when you repeatedly called me that word over and over again to the point when I was even said that it was my name, did you mean it in a degrading way to me?"
"I've always been one to build up the team - not bring it down. All those who called me that, you guys know yourself. Some of you have my numbers, my Instagram and Twitter. Let's have a conversation. If it was in the way Minhaj meant, I am disappointed. I'm angry and I deserve an apology. Talk to me, reach out to me," said Sammy in the video.
