FA promises ´common-sense approach´ towards on-pitch anti-discrimination gestures

The FA has promised to use a “common-sense approach” when dealing with players who show support towards movements such as Black Lives Matter during matches.

On Monday, FIFA issued a statement urging leagues around the world to exercise caution before punishing players for their behaviour amid the global outcry following the death of George Floyd.

The message from the governing body came after the German Football Association (DFB) said it would examine incidents from last weekend to see whether further sanctions against player protests were necessary.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho was booked for celebrating a goal by revealing a t-shirt that said ‘Justice for George Floyd’, while Schalke’s Weston McKennie wore an armband with the same slogan and Marcus Thuram took a knee after scoring for Borussia Monchengladbach.

The incidents came after news of Floyd, a black man who died after being knelt upon by a white police officer while in custody in Minneapolis, sparked widespread civil unrest in the United States.

Footballers in England including Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford have issued anti-racism calls in recent days and teams such as Liverpool and Chelsea took a knee during training.

The FA has vowed it will not necessarily punish players for any on-pitch protests even if they are in breach of the rules of the game.

“The FA strongly condemns discrimination of any kind and has endeavoured to ensure that football in England is both diverse and inclusive in recent years,” said English football’s governing body.

“Where any behaviours or gestures on the pitch that may constitute a breach of the Laws of the Game have to be assessed, they would be reviewed on a case by case basis with a common-sense approach and understanding of their context.

“The power of football can break down barriers across communities and we remain deeply committed to removing all forms of discrimination from across the game we all love.”

The Premier League, suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, is due to resume on June 17.