Premier League Players Continue to Refuse 'Taking the Knee' Gesture
Several top-flight footballers opted to stand during pre-match anti-racism demonstrations, while some fans booed the action.
Three additional Premier League footballers chose not to participate in the "taking the knee" gesture ahead of Sunday's matches. Manchester United's Ayden Heaven and Bournemouth's Rayan and Tyler Adams remained standing before their teams' game at Old Trafford.
This follows similar actions by Issa Diop and Marc Guehi earlier in the weekend. Rayan and Adams had also opted not to take the knee in the previous week's match against Sunderland. Heaven had not played in Manchester United's draw at Leeds United last week.
Last weekend, Diop was joined by Guehi, Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Everton, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Leeds in their decision to remain standing. The Premier League has designated specific weekends for players to take the knee as part of its "No Room for Racism" initiative aimed at combating discrimination.
Guehi, who reportedly suggested that taking the knee "had lost its meaning," stood and clapped before his team's match against Aston Villa. Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca stated that his players were aware of the initiative's context.
Diop was the sole player on the field not to take the knee during Ipswich Town's home game against Nottingham Forest last Saturday. Maitland-Niles was on the bench for Everton's away game against Arsenal and was not on the pitch during the gesture.
In addition to player actions, the anti-racism gesture was met with audible boos from some sections of the crowd before Tottenham Hotspur's match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.