Ex-England cricketer Carberry opens up on horrific racist abuse

London: Former England batsman Michael Carberry has claimed his skin colour didn't help him as he was subjected to racist slurs right through the course of his cricketing career.

The 'Black Lives Matter' movement has intensified around the world, especially in the United States, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police personnel last month.

Carberry is the latest sportsperson to open up regarding the racist abuse he had to go through while trying to make it big in the 'gentleman's game'.

"Put it this way, I don't think my skin colour helped me in any way. I've experienced racist comments from coaches, I've been ignored in teams even when I was comfortably the best batsman across the country in terms of the national averages," Carberry, who played six Tests and as many ODIs for England, was quoted as saying by Daily Mail. "(The racism) was horrific,' he says. It was and still is prevalent because when you walk in there as a black man — and most of the time it was me alone — it starts with little racial comments and jokes you have to put up with.

"I've had a county coach say to me, 'Where are the brothers going tonight for a bit of rice, fried chicken and peas?' — I just looked at him and said, 'Let me have a word with you on the balcony, please'.

"I said to him, 'I don't know how much time you've spent in the company of black people — by that comment, not very much. But let me tell you something: I'm worldlier than you are. I know what you think you know about black people, that we all eat fried chicken. I eat fish, steak, I even eat ostrich, You name it, I've tried it'."

Floyd, aged 46, died last month shortly after Derek Chauvin, a police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe".

West Indies Test skipper Jason Holder also spoke about racism after touching down in England for their three-Test series. He stated that racial discrimination has been going on 'beyond our lifetimes' and now is the right time for people to educate themselves.

"Racism is a crime throughout the world and will probably be ongoing beyond our lifetimes. Regardless of race and religion this is a situation for all of us to unite as one," Holder told reporters via Zoom as per Daily Mail.

"What has happened around the world has impacted on all of us and the response to it has been tremendous. We must acknowledge what is going on and those who are protesting and standing up for what they believe in are noble and courageous.

"This is the perfect time for people to educate themselves on what is going on and make a change," he added.