Following the ‘Black Lives Matter‘ protests around the world, the Premier League has also offered its support. For the first 12 matches of the restarted season, players’ names will be replaced on the back of their shirts with ‘Black Lives Matter’.
The Premier League will also support any player who chooses to ‘take a knee’ before or during matches. The Football Association also added that it will adopt a “common sense approach” to such protests.
In a joint message from all 20 clubs, players added that they were committed to “a global society of inclusion, respect, and equal opportunities for all, regardless of their colour or creed.”
Related: How BTS and its Army donated $2 million to the Black Lives Matter movement
A Black Lives Matter badge will feature on all playing shirts for the rest of the season alongside a badge thanking NHS staff for their work during the coronavirus outbreak.
It was learned that Troy Deeney of Watford Football Club alongside Leicester City’s Wes Morgan played a pivotal role in the discussions involving club captains and the Premier League.
Deeney’s girlfriend, Alisha Hosannah, has designed the Black Lives Matter badge that will be used on the players’ shirts.
Over the past couple of days, several Premier League squads have ‘taken a knee’ in training-ground according to images shared on social media. Also, anti-racism charity Kick It Out has asked for players to feel free to do so on the pitch.
