Premier League: Player names to be replaced by 'Black Lives Matter' when season resumes, say reports

English Premier League players will pay tribute to worldwide anti-racism movements by wearing shirts with the words “Black Lives Matter” on the back during the opening round of fixtures at the season’s restart, British media reported on Thursday.

Representational image. Reuters

The words will replace player surnames on the back of the shirt, while the BLM logo will be displayed on the front, reports said.

The tribute comes amid worldwide protests against racial injustice following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on 25 May.

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Several Premier League clubs in recent weeks have posed taking a knee, like former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick who popularised the gesture as a way to protest racial issues.

Clubs will also respect one minute’s silence for those who have died during the COVID-19 pandemic and kits will include a heart-shaped badge in honour of NHS and frontline staff during the crisis.

The Premier League will resume on 17 June after a three-month stoppage due to the outbreak, which has caused over 41,000 deaths in the United Kingdom.