Lewis rules out boycott of Belgian Grand Prix
LEWIS HAMILTON will not boycott this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix — declaring that his refusal to drive would have little bearing in the fight against racism. a number of top-level sporting events were postponed in the United States on Wednesday, following a series of player-led protests against the shooting of african-american Jacob Blake by a policeman in Wisconsin last week.
Hamilton, who holds a 37-point lead over Red Bull’s max Verstappen in his quest for a record-equalling seventh world championship, performed the Black Power salute after winning his first race of the season in austria last month. He then vowed to spend the rest of his life battling racism.
the six-time world champion, the sport’s sole black driver, has taken a knee ahead of every round and criticised those within Formula one’s white-dominated world of not doing enough to fight inequality.
asked if he would emulate the actions of those in america and pull out of the seventh round of the championship in Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton said: ‘It is a shame that is what is needed over there in order to get a reaction, but that is in america.
‘I don’t know if me doing something here will particularly have an effect. We are in Belgium, not the United States.
‘I have not spoken to anybody about it but I am really proud of so many of them over there in the States and what they are doing within their sports.
‘I stand unified with them. So many people are standing with the players and pushing for change.
‘I don’t know how us not doing the race (will help), but I will speak to Formula one to see what I can do to continue to raise awareness and help push for change. as a sport, we need to be aligned and supporting one another.’
Blake was shot on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin — 40 miles from milwaukee — apparently in the back, and the incident was captured on phone video, igniting new protests over racial injustice in several cities.
Wednesday’s multi-sport response began when the milwaukee Bucks boycotted their play-off game against the orlando magic.
leading 3-1 and needing just one more win to move into the Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Bucks did not emerge from their locker room for practice ahead of game five.
the nBa swiftly postponed its two other play-off games scheduled for Wednesday night between the los angeles lakers and Portland trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets and oklahoma City thunder.
Baseball matches between the Cincinnati Reds and milwaukee Brewers in milwaukee, the Seattle mariners and San Diego Padres in San Diego and the los angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in San Francisco were also postponed.
In tennis, 2018 US open champion naomi osaka refused to play in the Western and Southern open in new York and issued a powerful statement, saying: ‘as a black woman, I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis.’
the US tennis association, atP and Wta then announced suspended play for the day but will resume today, including osaka, adding that ‘tennis is collectively taking a stance against racial inequality and social injustice’.
the PGa tour has also said it will support any player wishing to protest against racial injustice, a statement saying: ‘the mlB, mlS, nBa, WnBa and Wta protests are player-led, peaceful, powerful ways to use their respective platforms to bring about the urgent need for change in our country.
‘there have been a number of efforts in the past to send a message that the current climate is unacceptable and these teams, leagues and players now taking this step will help draw further attention to the issues that really matter.
‘the PGa tour supports them and any of our own members standing up for issues they believe in.’
the second FedEx Cup play-off event, the BmW Championship, is taking place in Chicago this week, around 90 miles from where Blake was shot.