Matchup against Nashville SC is set for Sunday after protesting Wednesday’s game
Inter Miami CF will play Nashville SC on Sunday after players boycotted the game against Atlanta United on Wednesday to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisc.
The Black Players for Change — Major League Soccer’s Black players coalition — and MLS announced Friday afternoon that games will resume Friday evening, with Toronto FC facing off against Montreal Impact.
The league postponed five matches Wednesday when players in MLS, like in multiple sports leagues around the country, decided to sit out their games. It was a protest over police shooting Blake — a 29-year-old Black man — in the back seven times Sunday. Blake’s family said he has been paralyzed from the waist down.
The league released a joint statement with the Black Players for Change that read: “On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Major League Soccer players stood in solidarity with athletes across North America, as MLS matches were postponed in recognition of the struggle for racial equality and human rights. The league, its clubs, owners and staff supported this effort and the goal of bringing recognition to these important issues.”
The statement continued to say that Toronto will play Montreal on Friday.
“The Black Players for Change are scheduled to meet with MLS owners,” the statement continued, “as the players and the league continue working together to create longterm change both inside and outside of MLS.”
Inter Miami players and executives weren’t available for comment Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.
Atlanta United co-captain Jeff Larentowicz said in a statement after Wednesday’s game that, “We made a collective decision between both lockers rooms to not play tonight to stand up and fight for social change.”
MLS hasn’t announced when Inter Miami will make up their game against Atlanta United.
“I think that as a team, as a group and as a club we gave a powerful message to our community and to society as a whole,” Inter Miami coach Diego Alonso said in a team-issued statement. “We’re proud to work with MLS to have a better future and we’ll keep working alongside the club and MLS on the next steps. Now we also have to try to focus on the sporting side and simultaneously work on both situations.”