Los Angeles (AFP)
Former American football star Colin Kaepernick, who originally kneeled on the ground during the American anthem to protest against police violence against blacks, will join Disney for a series of programs on racial discrimination, the world's number one entertainment company announced on Monday.
The agreement with the former quarterback relates to fiction and documentaries "from the point of view of black and colored people", including "an exclusive docu-series retracing the journey of Kaepernick" over the past five years, says Disney in a statement.
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL for more than three years and the end of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers he led to the Super Bowl final in 2013.
No club hired him after the protest movement he launched in the fall of 2016, a movement relayed by other American athletes throughout the following year. This wave of revolt had provoked the ire of Donald Trump who called "sons of bitches" those who offended, according to him, the American flag, the nation and its soldiers.
The murder of George Floyd in late May in Minneapolis, asphyxiated by the knee of a white policeman leaning on his neck, rekindled anger at racial injustice across the country. And Kaepernick's kneeling has been rehabilitated during numerous demonstrations.
In the press release, the athlete said he wanted to "highlight black and colored directors, creators, storytellers and producers, and inspire young people".
"Colin's experience gives him a unique perspective, where sport, culture and race meet," said Disney boss Bob Iger.
At the end of June, Netflix had already announced a documentary series devoted to the footballer's youth, "Colin in Black & White", under the guidance of director Ava Duvernay.
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