ANDY CALLS FOR END TO RACISM IN SPORT AND BACKS BATTLE AGAINST PREJUDICE
BOXING:
ANDY MURRAY has called for greater equality in sport and society as he revealed he was educating himself on the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Scot joined his fellow players in taking the knee in tribute to George Floyd at the Schroders Battle of the Brits on Tuesday.
He has not taken to social media to comment on the issue in recent weeks, but the former world No.1 believes equality is not “radical” but “a pretty basic human right”.
Murray said: “I think
I speak for all the players. With everything that has gone on the last few weeks, off the back of the George Floyd murder in the States, it was shocking scenes.
“I have always seen equality more so from a sexism point of view, but the same applies when it comes to racism as to my feeling.
“Some people see it as a radical thing, but I don’t.
“I just feel that everybody should be treated the same. It doesn’t matter what your sex, the colour of your skin, background, religion or whatever, I think it is a pretty basic human right that everybody should be treated exactly the same and given the same opportunity.
“I am aware that obviously that is not the case just now.
I am trying the best as I can to try to learn and understand more about the Black Lives Matter movement and
KYLE EDMUND insisted it was still the same old Andy Murray despite beating the three-time Grand Slam champion 6-7, 7-6, 10-5 in the Schroders Battle of the Brits.
The world No.44 moved through the gears in the final deciding tie-break as Murray finally wilted after more than two-and-a-half hours in a sauna-like National Tennis Centre at Roehampton.
“Even though he’s had a big operation, he can move well,” said Edmund (right). “You are still playing Andy Murray, the guy who has won so much.” systemic racism in sport. Sport is not free from that either.
“I saw a study of the board positions across all the governing bodies of the major sports in England the other day. And I think there were three out of 139 positions taken up by black people. That is something that needs to change.
“It is the same in tennis as well. That is how I feel about it and I am glad all the players were up for doing it.”
Murray was coached by his mum Judy early in his career and became the first top male player to hire a female coach in Amelie Mauresmo.