Former West Indies captain, Daren Sammy, once again stressed on the need to educate young cricketers on why they should uphold values against racism and understand how the sport is at its most beautiful when it celebrates diversity.
Speaking on ICC's online video series 'Inside Out', Sammy said just like there is awareness created among youth on anti-corruption and anti-doping laws, similar education needs to be provided to them on racism and why it must be eradicated.
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"There is a need for education at a systematic level," he said. "Just as there is an emphasis on education around anti-doping or anti-corruption, the same emphasis must be given to educating the youth on anti-racism in order to help young cricketers understand diversity in cricket and adapt early on."
Sammy only earlier this month revealed he was subject to racism during his stint with IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), joining the number of voices raised against the deep-rooted social discrimination following the killing of an Afro-American, George Floyd, in the USA on May 25 by a white policeman.
Also present on the show, former Australian all-rounder, Tom Moody, backed Sammy's point, adding that leaders within the cricketing circle have a moral responsibility to ensure the youth is more educated on issues like these.
"Leaders in our cricket community whether it is a captain, senior player, a coach or an administrator, we have an enormous responsibility as an educator on many different platforms," said Moody.
"One of those platforms I think that has been neglected and not given the attention that is required and that is the understanding of the different levels of racism that exists within the game."
"If there is anything positive that has come out of this, is that it is highlighting that we need to be a lot more understanding of how we can make this better as individuals," he added.
Isha Guha, former England women's World Cup and T20 World Cup winner, thinks we've accidentally got a fine opportunity to make a change in the way things are.
"We have a real opportunity with cricket because it does cross different races, backgrounds, and religions, and does bring all of these different people together," she said.
"It is really a sport that unites everyone. I mean, look at the current England (men’s) team, we stumbled upon this team that is so diverse. But the most important thing for me is representation."
At the end, former West Indies pacer and popular commentator, Ian Bishop, said all that people of colour demand is respect and equality.
"There is no one here who is demanding a free gift, we all work very diligently and very hard and what we want to see is equality across the globe and an equal chance for everyone," he said.
(Inputs from PTI)
