Premier League players will take the knee this weekend to back No Room For Racism campaign

Premier League footballers will take the knee this weekend as part of the No Room For Racism campaign.

Top-flight officials will launch the anti-discriminatory initiative this weekend and will last for the next two round of fixtures.

And players will reconvene taking the knee before every fixture during the No Room For Racism campaign.

The gesture became a staple of English football for two years as players sought to show their support for equality following the sickening death of George Floyd in the USA due to police brutality.

But following meetings in the summer, the players decided to stop taking the knee before every game – instead undertaking the gesture on certain occasions in the season.

This decision was made after the 20 club captains agreed the gesture had lost its gravitas. 

A number of players stopped taking the knee last season after feeling the gesture had run its course.

Bournemouth stopped taking the knee last season while they were in the Championship, but confirmed at the start of the current campaign that they would perform the anti-racism gesture on the days agreed. 

Some players such as Wilfried Zaha (pictured above) stopped taking the knee last season

England’s national team intend to take the knee at the World Cup in Qatar later this year

Players haven’t taken a knee since the first round of fixtures in August but will do so this weekend.

England’s national team have also taken the knee ahead of their fixtures over the last two years, including during last year’s European Championships.

Sportsmail reported in July that the side intend to continue to take the knee at the World Cup later this year.

It is understood that a number of core players believe it remains a powerful and impactful gesture, and they are keen to get their message across at the major tournament in Qatar.