|| Desk Report ||

Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy has expressed that the black athletes should not be called unrespectful words as banter after he discovered his nickname in the Indian Premier League (IPL) had racial connotations.

Sammy has dropped the idea of an apology, after hearing that the word can be used as a friendly nickname as well as an insult.

“It doesn’t take away the fact that certain words that are being used could come across as degrading because of the colour of your skin,” said Darren Sammy, who led West Indies to clinch T20 World Cup twice in 2021 and 2016 respectively.

“Why must my people endure 400 years of slavery and still have to adapt? Why is it always the people of colour that have to adapt to oppression?” Sammy told ESPNcricinfo.

“Why can’t the other side change and see us differently? And just not do it. So, no, you cannot use something that is degrading to the colour of my skin and tell me to take it as banter,” he added.

Sammy urged the International Cricket Council to raise awareness of the fight against racism, giving it the same attention as its anti-corruption drive.

“We’ve always had anti-racism in the code of conduct of the ICC. You hear it every time it has been recited,” the globe-trotting all-rounder said.