Kumar Sangakkara alleges discriminatory treatment by Ryanair staff at Dublin Airport

Sri Lankan cricket legend Kumar Sangakkara has accused Ryanair of engaging in "discriminatory" and "threatening" behavior toward him and his family at Dublin Airport. Sangakkara, widely regarded as one of the greatest wicketkeeper-batters in cricket history, took to social media on Wednesday to express his dissatisfaction with an incident he described as "unacceptable."

In a post on the social media platform X, Sangakkara questioned if others had encountered similar treatment from Ryanair's gate personnel in Dublin. He stated that he and his family experienced "shocking" conduct, citing the "tone of address," "mishandling of procedure," and "threatening behavior."

His remarks drew support from other users, including television personality Piers Morgan, who wrote on X, "Rarely met a more decent, dignified man than Kumar. For him to say this, it must have been truly shameful behaviour. I hope you deal with this urgently & properly @Ryanair."

Sangakkara also engaged with Sri Lankan businessman Sanjiva Weerawarana, who shared his own experiences of facing discrimination abroad. Weerawarana commented, "Kumar, I have experienced discrimination in every part of the west. I lived there for 16 years, travelled back and forth for another 25 and now I'm done."

In response, Sangakkara replied, "It is quite jarring when you experience it @sanjiva." When a fan expressed sadness and shock at his experience, Sangakkara responded, "No one should experience it not just me."

Sangakkara, a former captain for Sri Lanka, amassed 28,016 international runs across 134 Tests, 404 One Day Internationals, and 56 Twenty20 Internationals, placing him third on the all-time international run-scorers list.

He currently resides primarily in Dorset, England, having moved there with his family in early 2022. He also maintains a property in Galle, Sri Lanka. Sangakkara is also known for his post-playing career, including work as a pundit for Sky Sports and as the head coach and director of cricket for the Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals.

Daily Mail Sport has approached Ryanair for comment on the incident.