Cricket not free of racism, I too was a victim: Chris Gayle stands with 'Black Lives Matter'

West Indies opener and one of the legends of cricket Chris Gayle has joined the worldwide-force and raised his voice against racism as protests continue to intensify in the United States, six days since the death of George Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis. African-American man George Floyd died after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for several minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleaded for air. 

The veteran Windies batsman said: “Black lives matter just like any other life. Black people matter, p***k all racist people, stop taking black people for fools, even our own black people wise the p***k up and stop bringing down your own!”

“I have travelled the globe and experience racial remarks towards me because I am black, believe me, the list goes on,” Gayle wrote in his Instagram story.

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“Racism is not only in football, it’s in cricket too. Even within teams as a black man, I get the end of the stick. Black and powerful. Black and proud,” he added.

Many sportspersons have voiced their concerns against racism. The likes of Serena Williams, Coco Gauff, NBA star LeBron James, Michael Jordan, cricketer Darren Sammy, and Bundesliga footballer Jadon Sancho, Marcus Thuram, among many others joined the protest against the issue of racism.

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Since Floyd’s death, Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.