Darren Sammy says IPL nickname controversy is opportunity to educate on racism

Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy says he has accepted a former team mate’s explanation of a potentially racist nickname he was given at the Sunrisers Hyderabad and hopes the issue can be used to educate players about racism.

Earlier this week, the 36-year-old sought clarification from his former teammates over the nickname used for him when he was part of the Indian Premier League franchise from 2013-14.

Sammy said he did not know the meaning of a Hindi word that some unnamed Sunrisers teammates would call him and only became aware of its racial connotations after watching a TV show that discussed the issue.

“I’m pleased to say that I’ve had a really interesting conversation with one of the guys and we are looking at ways to educate rather than focusing on the negatives,” Sammy tweeted. “My brother reassured me that he operated from a place of love and I believe him.”