‘Threatened and discriminated against’: Kumar Sangakkara alleges discrimination by Ryanair staff in Dublin

Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has claimed that Ryanair staff threatened and discriminated against his family at Dublin Airport, with his account sparking debate on social media.

contribution by Kumar Sangakkara

The head coach of Rajasthan Royals took to X on Wednesday evening to share his experience and described the encounter with the airline’s gate staff as shocking. He also called it his first unpleasant experience in Dublin, the capital of Ireland.“Has anyone experienced discrimination by @Ryanair gate staff in Dublin? My family and I did and it was shocking,” Sangakkara tweeted on Wednesday night.Sangakkara’s post drew reactions from social media users, including Sri Lankan Sanjiv Weerawarana, who spoke about his own experiences of discrimination while living and traveling overseas.“Kumar, I’ve experienced discrimination in every part of the West. I lived there for 16 years, traveled back and forth for the next 25 and now I’m done,” the individual replied.Responding to Weerawaran, Sangakkara acknowledged the suffering such encounters can cause.“It’s quite jarring when you experience it,” Sangakkara said.This exchange contributed to the debate surrounding the allegations against the former Sri Lankan captain and the treatment of passengers by airline staff. At the time of writing, Ryanair had not issued a response to Sangakkara’s claims.Ryanair is an Irish ultra-low-cost airline based in Swords, County Dublin. The incident also highlighted concerns about anti-Asian racism and xenophobia in Ireland, which can range from everyday prejudice and online abuse to physical attacks.

Sangakkara’s coaching career and international record

Regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest cricketers, Sangakkara retired from international cricket in 2015 after a distinguished career across formats.As Rajasthan Royals coach, Sangakkara ended the franchise’s 17-year wait to reach another final during his first tenure. However, Royals finished runners-up to Gujarat Titans. In 2026, Rajasthan bowed out in Qualifier 2, falling one win short of the final.Sangakkara’s Test career began against South Africa in Galle on 20 July 2000 and ended in Colombo after 134 matches. He amassed 12,400 runs, including 38 centuries and 52 half-centuries. He finished one short of Australian great Donald Bradman’s record of 12 double centuries.In ODIs, Sangakkara played 404 matches after his debut in 2000 and scored 14,234 runs at an average of nearly 42. His highest score was 169, while his tally included 25 centuries and 93 half-centuries.He ended his more than fifty-year international career after the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Sangakkara was part of the Sri Lankan teams that finished runners-up in the 2007 and 2011 tournament.