SPFL board to make decision this week on taking a knee

Governing body urged to support Black Lives Matter campaign
Connor Goldson takes the knee before Rangers' pre-season friendly with Motherwell. Picture: SNS.Connor Goldson takes the knee before Rangers' pre-season friendly with Motherwell. Picture: SNS.
Connor Goldson takes the knee before Rangers' pre-season friendly with Motherwell. Picture: SNS.

The SPFL board will make a statement by the end of the week on whether players should take a knee at the start of matches in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The peaceful gesture has been a fixture of games south of the Border and at many other sporting occasions, with athletes around the globe backing the anti-racism movement.

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With the new Premiership kicking off on August 1, there have been calls from players, supporters and the Show Racism the Red Card charity for Scottish football to lend its weight to the ongoing battle for racial 
equality.

There has been some opposition, though, with Rangers players, who joined the protest ahead of games in France, targeted by some of their own supporters who object to their stance.

Those unpalatable views were aired on social media and Rangers defender Connor Goldson responded, calling out the “hate and ignorance” in the comments he went on to label as “disgusting”.

Since then fans from many clubs have spoken out to support the anti-racist sentiment and appeal for a show of unity when the action starts in just over a week

The Ibrox club have made it clear that racists are not welcome while PFA Scotland have canvassed players’ opinions, with the vast majority strongly in favour of taking a knee to ram home that message.

Like Rangers, defending Premiership champions Celtic gave their support to the Black Lives Matter cause during friendlies against Nice, Lyon and PSG, while St Mirren’s Jon Obika and Livingston’s Marvin Bartley have been clear in their hope that Scottish football will not pass up the opportunity to be a positive influence in the ongoing quest to quash ignorance and promote racial 
equality.

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