Players given chance to take a knee in Premiership openers
Scottish Premiership players will be allowed to choose whether they take a knee in support of Black Lives Matter when the new season kicks off this weekend. The Scottish Professional Football League have partnered with PFA Scotland and Scottish antiracism charity Show Racism the Red Card to agree on how the issue will be recognised at the opening round of fixtures.
Anti-racism video messages from players of each of the 12 Premiership clubs will be played, then players, coaching staff and officials will be given the opportunity to take a knee or make a similar gesture before kickoff.
The practice became commonplace in the English Premier League on its
return to complete the 201920 season, although the Black Lives Matter organisation itself has also attracted criticism from some quarters.
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster confirmed that taking a knee will not be mandatory for Scottish Premiership players. “Racism is abhorrent to any rightthinking person in our society today,” said Doncaster. “The SPFL wholeheartedly supports the right of players, officials and others who wish to underline their opposition to such hateful beliefs and behaviours to
‘take a knee’ as we relaunch the game in Scotland.
“However, the manner in which people choose to express their opposition must remain a matter of individual free will and personal choice. It’s for that reason that it would be wholly inappropriate for the SPFL, or indeed any organisation, to compel anyone to make any specific gesture. As in other sports, individuals must be free to express their own views in other ways, and the SPFL respects their right to do so.
“For many, many years, Scottish football has been enormously enhanced by players from hugely diverse backgrounds, who are amongst the most beloved and admired figures to have graced our game.
“It’s fitting therefore that Scottish football plays a prominent role in helping ensure that education is at the heart of efforts to eradicate the scourge of racism in our society. That’s why we and PFA Scotland proudly support Scotland’s antiracism charity, Show Racism the Red Card, which educates thousands of young people and adults annually and are committed to promoting their work throughout a Fortnight of Action in October, as well as in the opening round of Premiership fixtures.”
PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart, whose organisation will sponsor black T-shirts which players from all 12 clubs will wear during the pre-match warm-ups, indicated there is widespread support for taking a knee among the membership of the players’ union.
“Having spoken with their team-mates, our management committee felt very strongly that they should be given the opportunity to take the knee and show their support for the anti-racism message as their colleagues in the English Premiership (sic) and beyond had,” said Wishart, inset.
“We spoke with our representatives at all Premiership clubs and they were in agreement that they wanted to show their support for the Black Lives Matters movement. Football and footballers have a powerful voice and our members wanted to use that for the greater good to help spread the vital antiracism message.
“We are proud sponsors and supporters of Show Racism the Red Card and the fantasticworktheydotoeducate society about how we must stand up to racism in all its forms.
“We thank the SPFL for accepting our joint proposal and allowing the players to show their support as they kick-off the new season.”