A MINORITY of fans that booed the players taking the knee before Saturday’s Community Shield were drowned out by cheers.
Manchester City and Leicester took the knee a week before the 2021-22 Premier League season gets underway.
And as the two teams took the knee, a minority of supporters in the ground booed.
But as other fans caught on, those who booed were drowned out quickly with cheers of support.
On Tuesday the Premier League confirmed in a statement that all 20 teams will continue to take the knee this season.
Football across the world is united in a collective cause of tackling discrimination and racism.
And the hope is that the minority who boo will be drowned out by cheers of support.
There are, however, questions over whether taking the knee is an effective gesture of tackling racism and discrimination in football.
Lincoln City ace Cohen Bramall was alleged to have suffered racist abuse at Gillingham on Saturday afternoon.
Brentford’s talisman Ivan Toney will not be taking the knee, and will instead stand as ‘it’s not having an impact’.
Brentford opted against taking the knee last season, but have decided to join the other 19 Premier League teams this season.
I still believe in what I believe in and I will continue to do so.
Ivan Toney
Speaking to talkSPORT, Toney explained his decision: “The club made a decision and it was a tough one for them to make. I feel like if you strongly agree with something then do what you feel is best.
“Personally, I am going to remain standing because my beliefs don’t change, whether it is in the Championship or the Premier League or the conference.
“I still believe in what I believe in and I will continue to do so.”
Brentford support Toney’s decision to stand instead of kneel, stating that individuals can show their opposition to racism and discrimination in whichever way they choose to.
Crystal Palace captain Wilfried Zaha has also publicly articulated his reasoning for not taking the knee.
He said: “I’ve said before that I feel like taking the knee is degrading and stuff, growing up my parents just let me know that I should be proud to be black no matter what and I feel like we should just stand tall.
“I feel like taking the knee now, it’s becoming… we do it before games and even sometimes people forget that we have to do it before games.
“Trying to get the meaning behind it, it’s becoming something that we just do now and that’s not enough for me. I’m not going to take the knee.
“We’re isolating ourselves, we’re trying to say that we’re equal but we’re isolating ourselves with these things that aren’t even working anyway, so that’s my stand on it.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
