On the premise that less is more, Premier League players will no longer take the knee before every game. Instead, they will execute the anti-racism gesture on select high-profile occasions during the season.
The club captains gathered this week to consider whether to continue the gesture introduced in 2020 as part of Project Restart in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which gained notoriety in the United States following the death of George Floyd.
Some captains, speaking on behalf of their teammates, feared that the gesture had lost its effectiveness or even become divisive in the meeting.
Some fans have opted to interpret it as having political undertones, even though it has been made very clear that it is meant to emphasize the need for more equality and inclusiveness.
The captains did not reach a consensus last week, but they have done so today, with the teams planning to take the knee before specific games to spread the message that racism and all forms of discrimination are unacceptable in football and society. The expectation is that the knee will have a stronger impact when it is taken.
The league announced that the gesture would be performed during the opening and closing rounds, the No Room for Racism rounds in October and March, Boxing Day matches, and the Carabao and FA Cup finals.
The Premier League captains stated, “We have agreed to take a knee at crucial moments throughout the season to demonstrate our support against all kinds of racism and to continue to demonstrate solidarity for a shared cause.”
We remain steadfastly dedicated to eradicating racial discrimination and fostering an inclusive society where everyone is treated with dignity and afforded equal opportunity.”
