Players to stop taking knee before each Premier League game

London, Aug 3 (EFE).- Premier League players will stop making the anti-discrimination gesture of taking a knee before the start of every game, the team captains said Wednesday in a joint statement.

Players will instead use “specific moments” during the upcoming season, which kicks off on Friday, to “amplify the message that racism has no place in football or society.”

Clubs in England’s top league began taking a knee in support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the killing of African-American George Floyd by a white police officer in May 2020.

In the statement, the captains “reaffirmed their commitment to fighting racism and all forms of discrimination,” an effort which the Premier League supports as of the its No Room for Racism Action Plan.

“We have decided to select significant moments to take the knee during the season to highlight our unity against all forms of racism and in so doing we continue to show solidarity for a common cause,” the captains said.

Players will take the knee during the opening round of matches this weekend, on dedicated days in October and March, during the round of matches on Boxing Day (December 26), at the conclusion of the Premier League season and during the finals of the FA Cup and EFL Cup.

“We remain resolutely committed to eradicate racial prejudice, and to bring about an inclusive society with respect and equal opportunities for all,” the captains added.EFE

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