On their return to action, England’s Premier League clubs are set to replace players’ names on the back of jerseys with the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ for the first games back since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic brought all activities in the UK, and around the world, to a stand-still.
The proposed intention, which is yet to be finalised, is for clubs across the country’s top Division will sport the support for the movement when the league returns on June 17
The decision by the Premier League follows support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the Bundesliga in Germany.
There, Bayern Munich players wore warm-up shirts and armbands with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ message on them, whilst Eintracht Frankfurt wore jerseys with the same message.
Following the lead taken by the Bundesliga, which subsequently followed recommendations by FIFA to not discipline players who were in violation of the Laws of the Game for displays of political or personal slogans on the field, the Football Association in England, who previously indicated that it would take steps against such acts, have said in a statement: “Where any behaviours or gestures on the pitch that may constitute a breach of the laws of the game have to be assessed, they would be reviewed on a case by case basis with a common sense approach and understanding of the context.
“The power of football can break down barriers across communities and we remain deeply committed to remove all forms of discrimination from across the game we all love”.
As coronavirus continues to take hold, in addition, the Premier League club’s jerseys are also set to feature patches that will honour the National Health Service workers for their extensive work during the pandemic.