Dublin: Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has accused Ryanair gate personnel of discriminatory behaviour at Dublin Airport, alleging that he and his family faced threatening conduct and mishandling of procedures.
The 48-year-old former wicketkeeper-batter took to social media on Wednesday to express his displeasure over the incident, describing his experience as unacceptable for any passenger.
“Has anyone experienced discriminatory gate personnel @Ryanair in Dublin?” Sangakkara wrote.
“I was with my family just now, and it was shocking. The tone of address, the mishandling of procedure, and the threatening behaviour. Unacceptable for any passenger. First bad experience in Dublin,” he added.
Sangakkara, who is currently the head coach of Rajasthan Royals, did not provide further details about the circumstances that led to the alleged confrontation with the airline’s staff.
His post triggered a response from fellow Sri Lankan Sanjiva Weerawarana, who claimed to have experienced similar treatment during his travels in Western countries.
“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,” Weerawarana wrote, adding that he no longer wished to travel to the region unless necessary.
Responding to Weerawarana, Sangakkara acknowledged the impact of such experiences, writing, “It is quite jarring when you experience it @sanjiva.”
At the time of writing, Ryanair had not publicly responded to Sangakkara’s allegations. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident also remained unclear.
Sangakkara’s Illustrious Cricket Career
Widely regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest cricketers, Sangakkara enjoyed an outstanding international career before retiring from the game in 2015.
Across 594 international appearances, he accumulated 12,400 runs in Test cricket and 14,234 runs in One-Day Internationals, establishing himself as one of the most prolific batters of his generation.
Known for his consistency, elegant strokeplay and leadership, Sangakkara was a central figure in Sri Lankan cricket for more than a decade and remains one of the country’s most respected sporting personalities.
Sangakkara’s Role at Rajasthan Royals
Beyond his international playing career, Sangakkara has built a significant profile in coaching and franchise cricket.
He returned as head coach of the Rajasthan Royals after previously leading the Indian Premier League franchise from 2021 to 2024, while also serving as its director of cricket.
During his earlier tenure, Rajasthan Royals reached the IPL final in 2022, their first appearance in the title decider since winning the inaugural edition in 2008. However, they lost the final to Gujarat Titans.
The franchise finished fourth in the 2026 season, continuing its pursuit of another IPL title under Sangakkara’s leadership.
While the cricketing world has long associated Sangakkara with his achievements on the field, his latest social media post has drawn attention to his allegations concerning the treatment of passengers at Dublin Airport.
