Kneeling: Britain's token gesture

 


On 23rd February, Manchester United drew with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League matchup, thanks to a goal from substitute and emerging star Anthony Elanga.

Before the kick-off United took a knee, as they and all other Premier League teams have been this season, as a gesture against racism in all forms but especially within football. Their opponents however choose to stand, which the BT commentator suggested was in solidarity with the cause. These contrasting choices serve as a reminder that are different ways for players to show that they are against racism within their sport, yet in British sport kneeling is currently being heralded as the only way.

I’ve long be against the decision made by the Premier League to kneel before kick-off as I don’t believe forced activism benefits anybody. What often happens in the PL games I’ve watched this season, is that after kneeling players quickly jump up and begin the match. Rarely is time given for the players, staff and referees to reflect upon their anti-racist gesture, resulting in the gesture becoming a thoughtless action taken by the Prem.

Former NFL player Colin Kaepernick was the first to use kneeling to stand up against racism in 2016, as the American felt uncomfortable standing during the country's national anthem prior to each game due to all the people of colour that have been oppressed by the United States of America. Kaepernick’s gesture made him a pariah in the American football league with the NFL, then President Donald Trump and others criticising the player.

Unlike Kaepernick, players in the Premier League are kneeling together which suggests that some progress has been made in the UK in accepting its own racism. Plus, the promotion of organisations like Kick It Out and No Room for Racism, which are dedicated to tackling racism within football, show a desire for change, but what I think is getting lost is action.

Presently, three players have publicly stated that they will no longer be taking the knee at the start of their matches. Crystal Palace’s Wilfred Zaha was one of the first. The forward explained to FT Business of Football conference that he felt taking a knee was ‘degrading’, adding ‘the whole thing is becoming something that we just do now. That’s not enough.’

The ineffectiveness of the gesture has also been highlighted by Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso who decided at the end of 2021 that he too would stop kneeling and instead is choosing to point at the No Room for Racism badge on his jersey. Interestingly, in the first Chelsea game I watched after Alonso had made this decision, he was scolded by the commentator for his decision to stand.

Seemingly, kneeling has become the only gesture that communicates counter racism in  sport, specifically British sport. The British Basketball League has also chosen to kneel at the start of games for the last two seasons. In the games I’ve seen the gesture is at least followed by a brief applause before the game commences. Still players have questioned the potency of the gesture. Cheshire Phoenix guard Pharroh Gordon, in 2021, said that he feels kneeling 'had just become a token gesture.' with 'no weight behind it'. 

The growing questions around the impact of kneeling suggest that a change is necessary. As I mentioned earlier Atletico Madrid choose not to kneel as do players in the Bundesliga. Is it now to be assumed that all athletes that don’t kneel are actively supporting racism? No, of course not, but in an effort to be on the right side of progress we have focused on the wrong thing; the gesture, not real change.

Realistically, I don't believe either league will remove kneeling because how would they look if they takeaway their token gesture. Their detractors would have a field day criticising the decision. What can at least change is the conversation. Players shouldn't be criticised for being on either side of the gesture and if kneeling is to become ingrained in the sport so should a subsequent moment of reflection to allow those who watch and participate a moment to truly understand the vast amount of change needed in football.

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