Posted: 09:41, August 3, 2022 | Updated: 23:28, August 3, 2022
Premier League chiefs insist top-flight players remain fully committed to the fight for equality despite opting to reduce the number of times they take a knee to seven.
As Sportsmail predicted on Tuesday, the pre-match gesture will no longer be performed before every game this season.
Instead, players will kneel during the opening round of games starting with Crystal Palace v Arsenal on Friday, Boxing Day, the FA Cup and League Cup finals, the final day of the season and weeks when the No Room For Racism campaign is active in October and November.
Premier League clubs have decided to reduce the number of times they take a knee
In a joint statement, the top flight captains said: “We have decided to choose important moments to kneel during the season to emphasize our unity against all forms of racism and in doing so we continue to show solidarity for a common cause .
“We remain resolutely committed to eliminating racial prejudice and creating an inclusive society with respect and equal opportunity for all.”
The club’s governors met a week ago to discuss various matters. While many still supported taking a knee, there were opposing views from some who felt the gesture had gone too far.
A compromise has now been found to ensure it remains part of the season, but only before certain games. Having initially said they would not take a knee, Bournemouth’s players will now make the anti-racist gesture on the agreed dates.
While support for equality remains as strong as ever among top-flight footballers, there was some hesitation during last week’s talks to make a final decision on how to proceed.
Players will now take a knee during the first round of the match, Boxing Day, the FA Cup and EFL Cup finals, the final round of matches and weeks when the No Room For Racism campaign is active
The act of kneeling before every game was first introduced in 2020 during Project Restart as a show of solidarity after the brutal killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis.
The gesture continued despite criticism that the act had political overtones.
Sources told Sportsmail in the summer that some wanted the gesture scrapped because it was proving too divisive.
Confirming the news, a statement read: “Ahead of the new season, Premier League club chiefs have reaffirmed their commitment to combating racism and all forms of discrimination.
“The players have decided to use specific moments during the upcoming campaign to take a knee, to reinforce the message that racism has no place in football or in society.
Players such as Wilfried Zaha (pictured above) had already decided to stop taking the knee
“The Premier League supports the players’ decision and, together with the clubs, will use these opportunities to highlight anti-racism messages as part of the League’s No Room for Racism Action Plan.”
In addition, £238,000 will be given to designated youth clubs on behalf of the chiefs, after £119,000 was raised from the rights to the ‘No Room For Racism’ sleeve badges sold on the clubs’ shirts last season. The Premier League matched the number.
All eyes will be on how the England team will approach the issue, particularly at the World Cup. There remains a strong core of players in Gareth Southgate’s squad who believe the knee still sends a strong message.
Early indications are that the players will take the knee in some form in Qatar, but the players will discuss the issue in more depth ahead of the games against Italy and Germany in September.
Southgate’s team are under increasing pressure to take a stand against human rights atrocities in Qatar ahead of the tournament.
The gesture was carried out by players from Project Restart during the pandemic in 2020
