Zaha urges fellow black footballers to 'stand tall now'

Racial abuse seems to be taking momentum, which is devastating. Numerous players across top tiers of English football were targeted in the last couple of months mostly via social media - Reece James, Marcus Rashford, Axel Tuanzebe, Eddie Nketiah, Anthony Martial (whose wife, who is not black, was also threatened), Wilfried Zaha, etc... One of the most vocal ones to speak about the growing issue is the Ivory Coast and Crystal Palace winger.

His focus went to the widely accepted "taking a knee" and "Black Lives Matter" movements. The Crystal Palace forward (28) believes taking the knee to show support for racial equality — as players, officials and staff in the Premier League and EFL have done since Project Restart — is becoming ‘something we just do now’. Several clubs, including Brentford and Bournemouth, respectively, have stopped making the gesture. Brentford said in a statement that players decided to stop taking a knee as they 'no longer feel that it is making an impact'.

"I’ve said before that I feel like taking the knee is degrading and stuff because growing up my parents just let me know that I should be proud to be black no matter what and I feel like we should just stand tall." Zaha said.

'Trying to get the meaning behind it, it’s becoming something that we just do now and that’s not enough for me. ‘I’m not going to take the knee, I’m not going to wear Black Lives Matter on the back of my shirt because it feels like it’s a target. We’re trying to say that we’re equal but we’re isolating ourselves with these things that aren’t even working anyway, so that’s my stand on it. 'I feel like we should stand tall. Now I don’t really tend to speak on racism and stuff like that because I’m not here just to tick boxes. Unless action is going to happen, don’t speak to me about it.’

Speaking on the On the Judy podcast, Zaha said: 'The whole kneeling down - why must I kneel down for you to show that we matter? 'Why must I even wear Black Lives Matter on the back of my top to show you that we matter? This is all degrading stuff. Ivorian also added: 'When people constantly want to get me to do Black Lives Matter talks and racial talks and I'm like, I'm not doing it just so you can put "Zaha spoke for us". Like a tick box, basically. 'I'm not doing any more, because unless things change. I'm not coming to chat to you just for the sake of it, like all the interviews I've done. 'All these platforms - you see what's happening, you see people making fake accounts to abuse black people constantly, but you don't change it. 'So don't tell me to come and chat about stuff that's not going to change. Change it. All that stuff that you lot are doing, all these charades mean nothing.'

On the same subject - AFC Bournemouth have joined fellow Sky Bet Championship side Brentford in deciding to no longer take the knee before games. The pre-match gesture in support of the Black Lives Matter movement has been a constant part of football since games resumed in June after the first coronavirus lockdown. Racist abuse of footballers has been widespread in recent weeks, but the Bournemouth squad feel the gesture has 'run its course' and is no longer having the effect that it originally did.

Bournemouth captain Steve Cook made an official statement.

'Following discussions between the squad and with senior staff members, we have decided to no longer take the knee before games, starting this weekend against Queens Park Rangers.'At all levels, this club prides itself on its work around equality, diversity and inclusion and as a group of players we fully embrace this.

'We all strive to ensure that AFC Bournemouth is a club which welcomes anyone, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality or religion. Fighting all forms of discrimination and creating an equal, inclusive society is something that we feel very passionately about.'But that is defined by much more than a gesture, which we feel has run its course and is no longer having the effect it first did eight months ago. 'Since football restarted last June we have taken the knee before every fixture. Instead, we will now stand before games; just as we stand together with our team mates who have suffered racial abuse and as we stand with anyone who is subjected to any form of discrimination.'

Cook called for action from governing bodies and social media platforms to combat discrimination. He said: 'As footballers and role models we want to continue affecting change in a positive way but we also need support - from governing bodies and social media platforms, in particular - and want to see action rather than words or gestures. 'We will continue to use our positions within the local community and alongside the club's Community Sports Trust to promote equality and the message that football is for everyone.

QPR had previously decided not to take the knee before their game against Coventry in September, with director of football Les Ferdinand responding to criticism of that move by suggesting: 'The taking of the knee has reached a point of 'good PR' but little more than that. The message has been lost.'