Raheem Sterling: Premier League support for Black Lives Matter is an important step

ByEurosport

Updated 18/06/2020 at 10:24 GMT

Raheem Sterling believes that the Premier League’s support for the Black Lives Matter protests, including players and officials kneeling before matches, is a “massive step” towards changing the national consciousness on the issue.

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Sterling has been a vocal advocate for BAME rights and issues, and believes that the Premier League’s decision to take a stand is a positive change in the direction of the wider conversation.

"It shows we're going in the right direction," Sterling told Sky Sports after Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Arsenal on Wednesday evening.

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"Little by little we're seeing change.

It was natural, it was organic. We saw the teams do it in the earlier kick-off and thought it was something we had to do as well.

Sterling’s Manchester City manager also spoke on the subject on Wednesday, speaking of his belief that is important for white people to make amends for racial injustices.

"White people should say sorry for the way we have treated black people for 400 years," Guardiola said.

Guardiola continued: "I am ashamed of what we have done to black people around the world. It is not only in the USA where it has happened. The problem is everywhere.

‘White people need to apologise’ over treatment of black people says Pep Guardiola

"Maybe for our generation it is too late but for the following generations, they can understand the only race is ourselves. We are human beings. It doesn't matter the colour of our skin."

The 2011 UK census figures showed that 13% of the population of England and Wales was BAME at that time. There has not been a more recent census to update those figures. Just 5.2% of board members across the 130 sporting organisations in UK Sport are BAME.

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