Cricket Legends Viv Richards And Carl Hooper Demand Apology From Brian Lara For Misleading Book Content

Brian Lara, the cricket legend from the West Indies, has found himself in hot water with two of his former teammates following the release of his book.

In his recently published book, 'Lara: The England Chronicles,' Brian Lara has faced backlash from Sir Viv Richards and Carl Hooper. They have accused him of making 'gross misinterpretations' and 'false claims'.

The controversy stems from a section in Lara's book where he describes Viv Richards' tone as intimidating. He claims that former West Indies captain Carl Hooper would cry weekly due to Richards' behaviour. Lara mentioned that while he was never intimidated by Richards, Hooper often shied away from him.

On Sunday, July 21, Sir Viv Richards and Carl Hooper issued a joint statement condemning Lara's assertions. They demanded an apology for what they described as false information that distorts their relationship and impugns their characters.

"Sir Vivian Richards and Mr. Carl Hooper are deeply disheartened by the gross misrepresentations made about them in Mr. Brian Lara's recently released book. The allegations presented not only distort the reality of their relationship but also impugn their characters in an unjust and harmful manner," read the joint statement.

Carl Hooper has vehemently denied Lara's claims, calling them 'categorically false', 'baseless', and 'deeply hurtful'. He stated that Richards never caused him any emotional distress.

"Viv used to make me cry every three weeks, but he would make Carl cry once a week. Viv's tone of voice is intimidating and if you're not strong enough, you can take that personally and be affected by it. Me, I was never really affected by it. In a way I welcomed it because I was so much under his arm that I knew abuse was coming and I was a strong personality. Carl? I know for a fact that Carl shied away from Viv Richards."

Hooper countered these claims by stating that Richards had always been an encouraging mentor who provided unwavering support throughout their nearly 40-year relationship based on mutual respect and camaraderie.

"The claim that Sir Vivian was aggressive towards Mr. Hooper and made him cry once a week is categorically false. Such descriptions paint Sir Vivian as a perpetrator of emotional abuse -- an assertion that is not only baseless but also deeply hurtful to both parties," said Hooper.

Demands for Retraction

The duo also accused Lara of using these falsehoods to promote his book for profit. They demanded a public retraction of these claims along with a sincere apology for the harm caused.

"We demand that Mr. Lara immediately issues a public retraction of these false claims and offer a sincere apology for the harm caused. It is crucial for the integrity of public discourse and their personal and professional lives that the truth is set right," concluded their statement.

Lara had played alongside both Richards and Hooper during his career with the West Indies team. Both he and Hooper had captained each other at different times within the national team setup.