West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has called for “respect and equality” for black people, joining Darren Sammy and Chris Gayle in denouncing racism in the wake of George Floyd’s killing at the hands of a white police officer in the U.S.
“It’s sad to see what’s going on around the world. As a black man, we know the history of what black people have been through. We never ask for revenge, we ask for equality and respect. That’s it,” Bravo told former Zimbabwe cricketer Pommie Mbangwa in a live chat on Instagram on Tuesday.
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“We give respect to others. Why is it that we are facing this over and over? Now enough is enough. We just want equality. We don’t want revenge, war. We just want respect. We share love and appreciate people for who they are. That’s what is most important.”
‘Powerful and beautiful’
The 36-year-old gave the example of greats such as Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan. “I just want our brothers and sisters to know that we are powerful and beautiful. And at the end of the day, you look at some of the greats of the world, whether it is Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan we have had leaders who paved the way for us,” he said.
Two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Sammy had earlier alleged that a racist nickname was used to address him during his IPL stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad and demanded an apology. Sammy said he was called ‘Kalu’ while he was in India. ‘Kalu’ is a derogatory word to describe black people.
Gayle took to Twitter to back Sammy, saying racism did exist in cricket. “It’s never too late to fight for the right cause or what you’ve experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it’s in the game!!,” Gayle tweeted.
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