Premier League player names to be replaced on shirts by Black Lives Matter – The Guardian

Premier League players will wear the words Black Lives Matter on the back of their shirts in the opening round of fixtures upon next weeks restart. The slogan will replace the footballers surnames in one of several initiatives marking recent events agreed by the clubs at a meeting on Thursday, which also include a minutes silence to honour those who have died as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The shirt tribute was proposed by a group of Premier League captains and Professional Footballers Association representatives, with moves under way to ensure kit is prepared appropriately. One club told the Guardian their kit staff had been primed to order shirts reflecting that change.

It will not be the only new piece of design on players kit, with heart-shaped badges paying tribute to NHS workers and Black Lives Matter badges also being embroidered. The placement of the latter is yet to be finalised, although the intention is they will be displayed on the front of shirts.

The league is also understood to have no problem if players or teams wish to take a knee before games. The issue of what happens if a player removes his shirt to reveal a slogan in support of the movement was raised at the meeting. Referees had expressed concerns about the appropriateness of issuing a yellow card and are expected to be asked to use their discretion.

Proceedings finished within an hour in what had been billed as a wrap-up meeting, with far fewer issues of contention than in previous weeks. The clubs unanimously approved the leagues matchday protocols on player health and safety, meaning the way is clear for the competition to restart with Aston Villas match against Sheffield United next Wednesday.

This week the Premier League confirmed it would not be bringing in the Rooney Rule, requiring at least one BAME candidate to be interviewed for a coaching vacancy.

The Brighton manager, Graham Potter, says the situation surrounding opportunities for black and other minority coaches must nonetheless be addressed.

With football, you want it to be meritocratic, you want it to be the best person gets the job, and thats what we all think it should be, he said. But the realities of the historical situation, for whatever reason, [are] that hasnt been able to happen and we have to understand why that is. Why is it a disadvantage to be black in this country? Why are there not enough coaches and managers that are black in football? We have to understand the historical context and educate ourselves around that in order to understand today and the context we face now.

Meanwhile, new Fifa regulations will allow leagues to open transfer windows before this season is concluded, though the Premier Leagues chief executive, Richard Masters, has said its clubs will not be able to sign players before 25 July, after the campaign is brought to an end.

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Premier League player names to be replaced on shirts by Black Lives Matter - The Guardian