The president of Kick It Out has urged all Premier League footballers to kneel when the season resumes to protest the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.adding that the Football Association should not punish players who use its platforms to host social events.
One day when Liverpool players and coaching staff knelt on the Anfield central circle to express their solidarity with those protesting the death of Floyd, Sanjay Bhandari said there was nothing politics about footballers who opposed racism.
Bhandari asked the German FA (DFB) not to punish Jadon Sancho, Achraf Hakimi, Weston McKennie and Marcus Thuram for leading the Bundesliga protests against police violence in the United States. The DFB said it was investigating.
Although the head of the anti-discrimination charity in English football said he understood why Sancho had been hired for lifting his shirt to reveal the message “Justice for George Floyd” after scoring Borussia Dortmund’s victory against Paderborn on Sunday, he explained. It would be wrong for the end of England to face more sanctions.
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Bhandari, who asked white players to join their black teammates in defense, said there should be freedom to protest when the Premier League season resumes on June 17. He asked if it would be a violation of the rules on political messages if the players followed the example of Thuram, who fell to his knees after scoring for Borussia Mönchengladbach against Hertha Berlin.
The dilemma for the game authorities is whether the players break the rules by protesting the murder of Floyd. Hakimi also posted a message “Justice for George Floyd” after composing for Dortmund and McKennie, international Schalke, had the message on a bracelet. Bhandari said there was nothing wrong with Thuram kneeling, a symbolic protest against police brutality that NFL player Colin Kaepernick used in 2016.
Jadon Sancho unveils his Justice for George Floyd jersey after scoring the first goal in his hat-trick for Borussia Dortmund at Paderborn. Photography: Lars Baron / EPA“All players should do it. They should be teams that do it. You saw the celebration of Erling Haaland after the first match in which all players from Borussia Dortmund celebrated social distancing. Everyone could s “kneel down. Racism is not about black players or brown fans. It’s about all of us. Racism corrodes society and hurts us all. Everyone should want to show solidarity and disgust.”
“I would encourage players to protest if they wish, but I would also encourage players to do so in a way that does not expose them to unnecessary punishment. If they could do it by kneeling, well “If all the players were doing it, it would be a pretty powerful message. I would be interested to know what the authorities think, if it was a violation of the rules. For me, it is about showing solidarity.”
Two years ago, the FA fined Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City coach wore a yellow ribbon to support the independence of Catalonia. In 2014, then Cologne player Anthony Ujah received a warning from German football authorities after paying tribute to Eric Garner after his murder, and Bhandari said leniency is also needed in this situation.
“I urge all authorities and all clubs to show some degree of understanding,” he said. “It’s almost above politics. It’s about good and bad. It’s someone who was killed on the street by the police. It’s about seeking justice for himself- even and for others like him. I don’t see this as something political. It’s human.
“I think the players understand that if they take off their jersey, they will be reserved.” Everything is contextual and, in this context, I think it would be very difficult for a punishment to go beyond that. I don’t know how something like kneeling could expose you.