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Daren Sammy calls out racism he experienced during IPL

Daren Sammy calls out racism he experienced during IPL

"I was being called exactly the same word which is degrading to Black people," said the cricketer.
Updated 10 Jun, 2020

Daren Sammy is calling out the racism he experienced while playing for The Sunrisers in Indian Premier League (IPL).

The cricketer shared his shock after watching Hasan Minhaj's segment on anti-blackness in South Asian communities as he realised a term Minhaj used was one he was referred to as well.

Initially Sammy took to Instagram to express his outrage upon realising the term was not a praise like he had assumed.

"I just learnt what Kallu meant when I played for Sunrisers in IPL. They called me and Perera by that name. I thought it meant Strong Stallion."

An old Instagram post by cricketer Ishant Sharma has also started making the rounds as an example of what Sammy went through.

Sammy, - who's also participated in Pakistan Super League as part of Peshawar Zalmis - made a video as well in which he called out everyone who referred to him by that term, saying he remembers those around him who said it frequently.

Said Sammy, "I've played all over the world, I've been loved by many people but I need to say this."

"I say this because of what I've experienced. I remembered when I played for Sunrisers in 2014, I was called that exact word that was degrading to Black people. I got very angry about it, knowing now what that word meant. I will be messaging those people, you know who you are.

He added, "Every time I was called this, there was laughter in the moment. Me being a team man, I thought it must be something funny but you can understand my frustration and my anger when it was pointed out to me that it wasn't funny at all. It was degrading."

"You repeatedly called me that word over and over again, to the point that I was even saying, that's my name."

He ended his note saying all those who know him and still used that word with him should reach out and let him know if they knew what that word meant, and if so, he will be very disappointed.

"I have always been one to build up the relationship or build up a team, not bring it down."

Comments

ALREHAN Jun 09, 2020 06:24pm
Seriously very pathetic of these so called management that were calling him by that word and Perera must have known what that word meant and he should have spoken to the management.
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mahmood anwar Jun 09, 2020 06:41pm
So upsetting and shameful. Kala means black in Hindi/Urdu but Kaluu is used in degrading some one by slang as an inferior person. Hope Pakistanis didn't behave the same way. Please accept our apologies on behalf of all these ignorant south asians and if possible, forgive us. Thanks for standing up and raising your voice too. Discrimination is NEVER ok with any race, creed or nation.
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Ahsan Gul Jun 09, 2020 06:57pm
Sure, we do have many millions color conscious of having a dark skin. So sad to read his comments. One must be proud of his profile. Indians are more dark skin color conscious. And it comes from their movies male and female actors.
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india Jun 09, 2020 07:42pm
Very Very bad, its a racists league, we should never participate in that league!
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Rohit Jun 09, 2020 07:50pm
Kudos to fairness cream
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Shan Jun 09, 2020 08:21pm
If your so called friends cannot call you Sammy then just quit their association.
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Nalayak Khan Jun 09, 2020 08:41pm
@ALREHAN -- Where do you come from? If it is Pakistan, then it is pathetic. If you are from outer space , you are okay bro!
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Shailendra Shukla Jun 09, 2020 08:48pm
The word Kalu was used also by the ex captain of Pakistan, Sarfaraz Ahmed.
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Indie Guy Jun 09, 2020 09:14pm
Indians and Pakistanis are the worse at discriminating against their own people for being dark skinned. Kaalu and Kallu are used frequently for people with dark skin and not in a positive way.
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Jehengir khan Jun 09, 2020 09:15pm
Racism exists and no actions are taken....sad fact.....
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Harthik Rathod Jun 09, 2020 09:44pm
Even Sarfraz made comments to South Africa’s Andile Phehlukwayo picked up by the stump mic during one-day international in Durban with Sarfraz later meeting the all-rounder and issuing a public apology.
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Monsieur Jun 09, 2020 10:13pm
Well, best solution, avoid playing in the league or change your team...
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M. Saeed Jun 09, 2020 10:52pm
It is unfortunate that we the people of sub-continent should use the derogatory term "Kallu" or its equal for the Black skinned people., especially when we have many people exactly of the same skin color amongst us.
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Salman Jun 09, 2020 11:58pm
Indians are the most racist people on planet and they discriminate based on caste, geography color etc. Pakistan is close behind.
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Abdulmalick Ismail Jun 10, 2020 12:18am
Everyone who called Sammy Kallu, knew very well what they meant. India has always being a country full of prejudices since the advent of hinduism, hence the cast system, still alive and thriving. Contact any African who is living in india, ask them how they are treated. Whitening cream is billions of dollar business promoted by big name bollywood stars.
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Fatima Jun 10, 2020 12:19am
Really goes to show the the length of embedded racism and colourism in our South Asian countries. Even though the blame for these ideologies truly falls on to colonialism, we should make an active effort to recognise this prejudice in our communities and work towards removing such arrogance. Down with the colonists! Let the BLM movement be an opportunity for you to change your racist ideologies and work towards becoming anti racist in South Asia
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Faisal Jun 10, 2020 02:18am
@ALREHAN Unfortunately its very common in India and Pakistan to call someone with a dark complexion Kallu. It does nt even occur to us that we are saying something wrong, generations of us are oblivious to have racist we are.
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jaredlee007 Jun 10, 2020 02:46am
This is how bigots and racists are exposed. Now Darren Sammy knows who really respected and accepted him as a human being first and then as a cricketer. Darren Sammy should now be careful about his interactions with people of South Asia, but he should keep in mind that there are many, many people in South Asia who really admire him for his skills, honesty, and open-mindedness. Hey Darren Sammy, on behalf of all those who used a racist word to make fun of you, I tender an unconditional apology. We all feel sorry that you and so many others are surrounded by ignorant racists on this planet.
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Leena Jun 10, 2020 03:25am
Indians are white Caucasian
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krishnan Jun 10, 2020 05:56am
Sad but it happens all the time.Even locals of colour are called Kaalu by the fairer skinned in both India and Pakistan.Even by so called educated people.Unless some are punished this will not stop.
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Zak Jun 10, 2020 06:01am
Fuuny thing is, Indians are of same colour so why differentiate or degrade.
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Zak Jun 10, 2020 06:02am
Modi's India.
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Abdul Jun 10, 2020 06:31am
IPL should be banned
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ivehadit Jun 10, 2020 07:04am
sad commentary of sub-continental racism.
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M&M Jun 10, 2020 07:41am
Indians and their mentality! The world is seeing thier true colours
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Practical Jun 10, 2020 08:27am
The best decision for Darren Sammy is not to play for IPL in future, now that he knows what Kalu means.
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INDEPENDENT Jun 10, 2020 08:55am
Sammy, you are great. You have millions of fans in Pakistan and across the world and you live like a legend.
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Ahmed Jun 10, 2020 10:07am
Ok. You cannot be called black in any other language but English. That is raciest.
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Pure ind Jun 10, 2020 10:11am
Shameful
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AhmedLovesIndia Jun 10, 2020 12:03pm
@Abdul in your dreams
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Anonymouseee Jun 10, 2020 01:15pm
What else can you expects from the Indians who are the biggest racists on the face of this planet.
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Sajjad Jun 10, 2020 01:30pm
Pakistanis are pretty much same. Dark skin kids are bullied the most in schools. We pioneers of Chand si gori bahu mentality.
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Milind Pandit Jun 10, 2020 02:51pm
@Abdul Sarfaraz Ahmed called same during world cup, so Pakistan should be banned?
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Laila Jun 10, 2020 04:26pm
Referring to somebody with such words are abuse. Stop racism. Be kind. When you go to the hospital for a blood transfusion or organ donor you don't ask for an ethnically matched organ or blood, now do you? Right because if you did you'd die and all blood is one. Black and white only exist in our heads. Conditioned by society and environment.
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Saurabh Joshi Jun 10, 2020 10:13pm
@Ahsan Gul you forgot what Sarfaraz said to Phelukwayo ? It's not an Indian problem but a South Asian problem. And we must be ashamed of it.
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Nalayak Khan Jun 11, 2020 10:30am
@Zak Zak, it happens in Pakistan too. Very much.
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Laila Jun 11, 2020 03:28pm
It's very simple. We are all humans. Skin color/tone, white/black, race and resulting racism are all man made social constructs. Stop being enslaved to colonial mentality. Treat everybody right. Sammy and others don't deserve this stupidity. Yes, racism is stupidity and a clear sign, racists are mentally challenged and easily intimidated by other people. You're great, Sammy, a first class human being.
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