The English Premier League (Premier League) decided to support the protests of black rights activists, which are now taking place in many countries around the world. They began after the black American George Floyd died in police custody at the end of May 2020. The US was swept by a wave of demonstrations and unrest, which later spread to other states.

In the first round after the resumption of the championship, players will enter the field in T-shirts, on which instead of surnames will be the slogan Black Lives Matter (movement against violence against black people).

“The League supports the desire of football players to replace their last names on their backs with the phrase Black Lives Matter for the first 12 matches of the resuming 2019/20 season. For the remainder of the season, T-shirts will also bear a logo with this inscription and a patch commending the National Health Service (NHS) for their work during the pandemic. The Premier League believes that there is no place for racism anywhere, ”the statement said on the Premier League official website.

The problem of discrimination is especially acute in the English championship, where black players are constantly becoming the objects of insults from fans. An unprecedented initiative to replace surnames with a slogan belongs to a group of football players. In particular, according to British media, an active role in negotiations with the Premier League was played by Leicester City defender Wes Morgan, as well as Utford striker Troy Dini, whose girl designed the stripes.

“We, the players, stand with the common goal of eradicating racist prejudices, wherever they exist, in order to bring inclusiveness, respect and equal opportunities for all to the world community, regardless of skin color or creed. This symbol is a sign of unity of all football players, all personnel, all clubs, all referees and the entire Premier League, ”the athletes explained their position.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Liverpool defender and midfielder James Milner and Virgil van Dyck and others joined the initiative group, formed by captains of leading teams and called Players Together.

Known in the past, striker Ian Wright paid tribute to Morgan and Dini, who managed to show their leadership qualities and convince the league leadership to support the action.

“This is an important moment for all fans and fans of our league. The submarine is not perfect, but from my own experience I can say that the discussions that are currently underway are open, honest and well received. I am proud that I work in the Premier League and have the opportunity to talk about this generation of football players using modern platforms to express their opinion. There is still much work to be done, but I know which side in the history the players and the Premier League want to take, ”Wright wrote on Instagram.

It is worth noting that the official anti-racist actions in the Premier League will not be limited to placing the slogan. Before or during matches, players will be allowed to stand on one knee, thus expressing their solidarity with the protesters. Some teams, such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, have already begun to do this before group training.

Premier League players from all 20 clubs have made the following statement.

- Liverpool FC (at 🏠) (@LFC) June 12, 2020

Former England midfielder Jermaine Jenas also welcomed the holding of such actions in the Premier League, which is one of the most respected leagues in the world. At the same time, he emphasized that they should not be limited to 12 matches and high-profile statements.

“I fully support the fact that clubs and players in this way express their point of view. But, it seems to me, most people are now asking the question, “What next?”. What will happen in a week? Everything will evaporate, and it will suit everyone? “Okay, we have made our small contribution, and everything has passed.” Or will we witness real changes within our game, our home? ” - Jenas noted on BBC Radio 5.

As one of the problems, the ex-footballer named a small number of black coaches in the English championship. Graham Potter, the mentor of Brighton, also complained about this.

“We want merit to be taken into account in football, for the most worthy to get a job, and we all think that is natural. But the historical realities are such that for some reason this approach could not be achieved, and we need to understand why. Why is being black in this country a disadvantage? Why are there so few black coaches and leaders in football? We must understand the historical context and take it into account in order to have a better idea of ​​the current situation and the context that we are facing now, ”the Guardian quotes Potter.

The England Championship season was interrupted in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Its resumption is scheduled for June 17, when Aston Villa will meet with Sheffield United, and Manchester City will meet with Arsenal.