Stand by for kneeling soccer players in the English Premier League (EPL) over the next two weekends.
Considered one of the foremost sports leagues in the world, the woke Premier will promote kneeling as part of its “No Room for Racism” campaign during Oct. 8-16. ESPN reported Thursday that the United Kingdom’s top-tier league “continues its ‘ongoing commitment to tackling discrimination and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.’”
An EPL statement explained that "Players will take the knee ahead of kick-off before all 20 fixtures during this period to show their unity against all forms of racism.” Prior to the start of the season, Premier League club captains “collectively selected significant moments to take the knee to demonstrate racism will not be tolerated.”
Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League, said players will take a knee for "specific moments" and "will use these matches to further promote anti-discrimination and educate fans," adding that everyone must demonstrate that racial prejudice is not acceptable in football or society.
In other words, it’s forced virtue signaling.
The same Black Lives Matter nonsense that swept through the U.S. and its sports leagues in 2020 also captured the Premier League. Despite some fan opposition, the kneeling continued in the 2021-22 season. U.S. sports protests of the George Floyd murder were organic, but the English Premier League and club captains are ordering the kneeling this time.
Related: Protestor Who Ran On Field During MNF Sues Bobby Wagner For Tackling Him
Past kneeling has been met with boos by fans who viewed it as unnecessary and excessive virtue signaling. Some see these ongoing protests as white-shaming and hollow efforts that won’t accomplish anything.
One outspoken soccer fan, Chris Rose, said on Twitter that kneeling is a “meaningless gesture” that “ran its course & only continued to spite those not fond of it. Stamping out racism from football is achievable without taking a knee.”
Another opponent of kneeling, Owen LLewellyn, sent this message to the Premier League, and it’s also posted on the conservative blog, Right Minds New Zealand:
“It is insulting to them to imply that they should be wracked with guilt and should be their own history in response to the alleged racism perceived by the BLM movement under every rock and around every corner. Surely the Premier League and its' advisors have a sufficiently sophisticated grasp of world and current events to see through the latest 'Astroturf' political movement.”
Nevertheless, the chairman of the Premier League’s Black Participants’ Advisory Group (BPAG), Darren Moore, said: “I think it is fantastic players are continuing to take the knee to show a united front against racism. The BPAG fully supports the players as they take the knee at selected matches to continue to send this powerful message.”
Ah, that must have felt so good to say, but it might just be pie in the sky.