The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
England will wear BLM logo in series with the Windies
England will join the West Indies in wearing the Black Lives Matter logo on their shirts throughout this month’s #raisethebat Test series.
The tourists had already confirmed they would be carrying a symbol designed by Alisha Hosannah and used by all clubs since the restart of the Premier League, and England had been in discussions about showing solidarity.
The decision was supported by Test captain Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who will lead the side in next week’s opening match, but taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison made it clear the move showed support for “progress and societal change” and it did not extend to explicit backing for any wider political aims.
The International Cricket Council’s code of conduct forbids players to wear clothing or equipment bearing political or religious messaging unless it agreed by the respective boards as well as the ICC itself.
On this occasion, all three bodies are unanimous about the action as well as the limit of its context.
It is understood that the England squad will not take the knee ahead of the first Test.
Root said: “It is important to show solidarity to the black community and to raise much needed awareness around the topics of equality and justice. The England players and management are unified in this approach and will use the platform of international cricket to fully support the objective of eradicating racial prejudice wherever it exists.
“The majority of us do not understand what individuals from BAME background have to go through when people make judgments because of the colour of their skin.”