Published 16:13 IST, September 9th 2020
Premier League set to replace 'Black Lives Matter' with 'No Room for Racism' badge
The Premier League is set to replace the Black Lives Matter logo on kits with the No Room for Racism badge ahead of the new season starting on September 12.
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Premier League clubs are set to ditch the Black Lives Matter badge on their kits ahead of the new Premier League season, slated to begin on September 12. The players wore the Black Lives Matter badge on their kits for all Premier League fixtures post-lockdown in solidarity with the movement. English top-flight clubs will now replace the logo with the 'No room for Racism' badge, their own anti-racism campaign.
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Premier League to replace Black Lives Matter with No Room for Racism badge on kits
According to a report by Sportsmail, Premier League clubs are set to end their support for the Black Lives Matter movement by replacing the badge on their kits. The Black Lives Matter movement has courted controversy after many of the initiative's supporters posted anti-Semitic messages on social media. Captains of all top-flight clubs will be notified of the call on Wednesday, and a 'No Room for Racism' patch will now be placed below the Premier League badge on the sleeve for this campaign. According to the report, captains still have the opportunity to raise their views on the matter despite the removal of the Black Lives Matter badge likely to be given a green light.
Also Read: Premier League news: Black Lives Matter Support Comes To An End With Clubs Set To Ditch Badges
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A decision on whether the players will take the knee before Premier League fixtures is also set to be taken. Players had taken the knee during each of the Premier fixtures post-restart and reports suggest that they would like to continue doing so. Both Liverpool and Arsenal players took a knee before the Community Shield last month. The decision to kneel will be left to the discretion of the players and clubs, with no interference from the League. The decision to lend support to the Black Lives Matter movement emerged during a captains' meeting in June. Initially, the clubs decide to print the words on the back of the shirt, replacing the players' names. The names were restored later and were replaced by a Black Lives Matter badge on the sleeves of the shirts.
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The Premier League had launched the No Room for Racism campaign last year. Football's anti-discrimination body Kick it Out had earlier said that there were concerns of launching a new campaign amidst the messages put out during the Black Lives Matter movement. However, Kick It Out head Sanjay Bhandari later gave his backing to the No Room for Racism initiative. The EFL earlier this week announced that the clubs will bear the message 'Not Today or Any Day' on their kits this season to support their campaign against all forms of discrimination.
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(Image Courtesy: premierleague.com)
16:13 IST, September 9th 2020