Bournemouth players to stop taking a knee before matches [photo courtesy]Bournemouth players will stop taking a knee before matches as they believe the gesture has "run its course" in the fight against racism and discrimination, captain Steve Cook said. The pre-match gesture in support of the Black Lives Matter movement has been a part of the Premier League and English Football League games since football resumed after the coronavirus shutdown in June. Racist abuse of footballers on social media has been widespread in recent weeks, but many voices in the game believe the gesture is no long have the effect that it originally did. "As footballers and role models we want to continue affecting change in a positive way but we also need support - from governing bodies and social media platforms, in particular - and want to see action rather than words or gestures." Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha recently said that taking a knee before matches is "degrading", while Championship side Brentford decided last week they would stop making the gesture and look for new ways to support racial equality.

Source: Standard Digital February 20, 2021 06:33 UTC