Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Patrice Evra ‘ditch Black Lives Matter badges’
Pundits on the channel have previously worn badges to support the social movement with Premier League players continuing to take a knee at Brighton vs Man United
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Jamie Redknapp and Patrice Evra appeared to drop their Black Lives Matter badges during punditry work on Sky Sports last night.
The Premier League and its players have shown solidarity with the social movement since Project Restart.
As well as taking a knee at kick-off in Premier League games, players have displayed ‘Black Lives Matter’ in place of their names on the back of their shirts.
While presenters and pundits on Sky Sports have previously worn the Black Lives Matter badges.
And while Brighton and Manchester United players took a knee ahead of the game once again, Redknapp and Evra in the studio, along with host presenter Kelly Cates and commentator Gary Neville, were seen without wearing their badges.
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Matt Le Tissier had taken to Twitter earlier to announce he would review whether he would wear the badge and whether the movement had a political affiliation.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters spoke to MPs at a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee evidence session to clarify the league’s position: “We are drawing a clear distinction between a moral cause and a political movement or agenda.
“Whilst there might be difficulties sometimes dividing the two, our position is clear: politics no, moral causes yes, when agreed. As I said we’re living in special times at the moment.
“On this occasion we have decided to support (the players). That doesn’t mean to say whenever players on an individual or collective basis want to do something that the Premier League and clubs will be duty-bound or willing to support it.”
He added: “I don’t think it sets any particular precedent and, going back to the point about political messaging, I think it might become slightly torturous, but it might be possible to support Black Lives Matter, the sentiment, without being seen to be supporting any political organisation.
“We are an apolitical organisation, we don’t support political organisations. I think we are happy to support the players, we think it’s the right moment to do it, and for the first time I feel players, managers, league and clubs are on the same page on the issue of discrimination, and that feels to me like a positive step.”
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