Black Lives Matter: in England, the Ivorian Wilfried Zaha no longer kneels and explains himself
Ivorian Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha, standing before the kick-off against West Bromwich Albion, March 13, 2021. Pool via REUTERS - MIKE HEWITT
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
5 mins
Returning after several weeks of absence, the Crystal Palace striker did what he announced a few weeks ago: this Saturday, March 13, before the game against West Bromwich Albion, he became the first Premier player. League not to kneel before kick-off.
Wilfried Zaha spoke in a statement about his decision to no longer perform this gesture popularized by Colin Kaepernick the Black Lives Matter movement.
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On February 18, Wilfried Zaha announced, at a conference organized by the
Financial Times
, his decision not to put one knee on the ground before the start of the matches of the English championship.
In the wake of
George Floyd's death in
the United States and other shocking events that set the country ablaze in mid-2020, the
Black Lives Matter
movement
had gained popularity around the world.
Several sportsmen and leagues have thus taken up the gesture of the knee on the ground, made famous in 2016 by quarterback
Colin Kaepernick
.
Wilfried Zaha
, him, had therefore made it known in mid-February that he no longer wanted to do it, while kneeling has become a ritual before the kick-offs of Premier League matches since the summer of 2020. The striker de Crystal Palace had said that kneeling had "
become something we do just like that
", that it was "
not enough
".
“
I have the feeling that kneeling is degrading.
Growing up, my parents taught me that I should be proud to be black no matter what.
I think we should just stay standing,
”added the Ivorian international.
Ivorian Wilfried Zaha standing before the kick-off of the Crystal Palace-West Bromwich Albion match on March 13, 2021. Pool via REUTERS - MIKE HEWITT
"Some of us will continue to be insulted"
Victim of a muscle injury in early February, Wilfried Zaha returned to competition this Saturday, March 13.
And, as he had announced, he remained on his feet ahead of the kick-off of the Premier League Matchday 28 match between Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion.
Before him, no other Premier League player had refused to take a knee.
The Elephant published a press release on social networks to explain its choice in greater detail.
“
There is no right or wrong decision.
But personally, I have a feeling that kneeling has just become a pre-game routine.
For now, it doesn't matter whether we kneel or stand, some of us will continue to be insulted.
"
He himself has been
the target of racist slurs and threats
on social media.
On Wednesday March 10, the Congolese Yannick Bolasie, loaned by Everton to Middlesbrough, Championship club (the English second division), published racist insults received on Instagram.
The Leopards international had castigated “
keyboard warriors
” and noticed that he had not yet met a single one of them “
with the same energy when they (me) see
”.
Something seriously wrong with people ... Keyboard warriors 🐀 Still yet to meet a person who had this energy when they saw me pic.twitter.com/HJJuXnlYMq
- Yannick Bolasie (@YannickBolasie) March 10, 2021
Zaha calls for more education and a tougher crackdown on racism
In his statement, Wilfried Zaha continued: “
I know a lot of work is being done behind the scenes in the Premier League and other authorities to make changes, and I fully respect that and everyone involved.
I also fully respect my teammates and players from other clubs who continue to kneel down.
"
The striker calls for “
better education in schools
” and calls on social media companies to “
take stronger action against people who harass online, not just footballers
”.
“
Now I just want to focus on the football and enjoy being back on the pitch.
I continue to stand up straight,
”he concluded.
Wilfried Zaha statement.
#CPFC pic.twitter.com/kHF6AKd8D9
- Sam Smith (@SamSmiths_) March 13, 2021
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