Sporting world speaks black & white Floyd to pay for Floyd’s funeral
Sammy simmers
Zurich, June 2: FIFA urged football competition organisers to apply “common sense” and consider not sanctioning players for solidarity with George Floyd — a handcuffed black man who died after he pleaded for air as a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck in Minneapolis, USA — during matches.
The recognition of the “depth of sentiment” over Floyd’s death came in a rare statement by FIFA telling the global game to show flexibility and not enforce laws of football it helps to set.
Players used weekend games in Germany to reveal messages demanding justice for Floyd.
“FIFA fully understands the depth of sentiment and concerns expressed by many footballers in light of the tragic circumstances of the George Floyd case,” the governing body said in a statement.
“The application of the laws of the game approved by the IFAB is left for the competitions’ organisers, which should use common sense and have in consideration the context surrounding the events.”
FIFA controls half of the eight votes on the International Football Association Board, with the other four held by England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Jadon Sancho was booked while playing for Borussia Dortmund on Sunday for removing his jersey a yellow-card offense only so he could reveal a T-shirt with a “Justice for George Floyd” message. Achraf Hakimi also displayed the same message on a T-shirt after scoring in the same game.
— AP
In this file photo, Borussia Dortmund’s defender Achraf Hakimi shows a “Justice for George Floyd” shirt as he celebrates after scoring his team’s fourth goal during their German league match against SC Paderborn at the Benteler Arena in Paderborn.
—
AFP
New York, June 2: Former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather has offered to pay for George Floyd’s funeral and memorial services, and the family has accepted the offer.
Mayweather personally has been in touch with the family, according to Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. He will handle costs for the funeral on June 9 in Houston, as well as other expenses.
Mayweather, who retired undefeated after 50 fights, winning five division titles, also paid for the funeral of an opponent.
Fighter frowns
In New Zealand, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya condemning the killing of George Floyd. The 30-year-old Nigeriaborn Adesanya, who has lived in New Zealand since he was 10, addressed a crowd of almost 4,000 at a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Auckland.
Adesanya spoke of his own experience of racism and his anger at racial profiling. “‘How many of you walk into a store and have to put your hands behind your back just so they don’t think you’re stealing?’’ Adesanya said. ‘’How many of you walk down the street and have to kind of smile and try and make the person who you can see is already scared of you, make them feel comfortable?”
Adesanya said it happened in the where he lives. building
West Indies’ World Cupwinning former captain Darren Sammy urged the cricketing fraternity to raise their voice against racism. In a series of social media posts, Sammy wrote about the sufferings of blacks across the world. “Right now if the cricket world not standing against the injustice against people of color after seeing that last video of that foot down the next of my brother you are also part of the problem,” Sammy tweeted.
West Indies batsman Chris Gayle alleged he faced racist remarks during his career and cricket is not free of the menace.
“I have travelled the globe and experienced racial remarks towards me because I am black, believe me, the list goes on,” the big-hitting batsman posted on instagram on Monday night. Sanga slams racism
“The activism in America against systemic racism and injustice is a powerful lesson to us all,” said former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara on Tuesday.
“We the people, the ordinary citizen, can together achieve extraordinary change for the better, to set in place a world culture of openness, respect and understanding,” he tweeted. — Agencies