Izuchukwu Okosi
Ahead of the start of the 2023/2024 season, Premier League clubs will continue to take the knee, starting with Friday night’s clash between Burnley and current champions Manchester City.
The English top-flight are continuing to demonstrate their commitment to fighting racism and all forms of discrimination during specific matches of the 2023/24 campaign.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe knee was first taken in the Premier League in June 2020 in a game between Aston Villa and Sheffield United, which followed the murder of George Floyd in the United States a month earlier.
For two seasons, every match in the English top flight saw players taking the knee before kickoff as a show of their solidarity, however that stance was changed last summer.
In order to maximise the impact of the stance, it was decided that the visual show would only be implemented for certain fixtures, an approach that will be in place for this season as well.
As a result, Premier League players will take the knee during the opening and final match rounds of the season, as well as dedicated No Room For Racism fixtures in October and April, as well as the Boxing Day fixtures, it had been agreed following a meeting by the clubs on Tuesday.
The Premier League supports the players’ decision and will continue to work alongside clubs this season to elevate anti-discrimination messaging as part of the League’s No Room For Racism Action Plan.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Premier League captains said:
“We are unified in our belief that any form of discrimination has no place within football, or wider society, and are committed to using our platform to help celebrate diversity and show our support in the fight against racism.
“Therefore, we will continue to show solidarity by taking the knee at significant moments during the forthcoming season.
“Diversity is central to the success of the game and we feel strongly that people should respect others, regardless of their ethnicity or background.”
The curtain easier for the new season was played on Sunday as Arsenal beat Manchester City via penalties after both sides ended the contest in 90 minutes on a 1-1 draw.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
