UK anti-racism charity calls for support from clubs

(Reuters) - Anti-racism charity Show Racism the Red Card has called on soccer clubs in England, Scotland and Wales to help educate young people about issues relating to race and spread the message of racial equality.

Anti-racism protests have gathered momentum in the sports world following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May and the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin on Sunday.

Premier League footballers took a knee in solidarity with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement when the 2019-20 season resumed after the COVID-19 stoppage.

“It has been fantastic to see top sports men and women support the ‘BLM’ movement ... Show Racism the Red Card believe these actions are important to highlight the need for anti-racism,” chief executive of the charity Ged Grebby said.

The charity said it had written to all professional clubs in England, Wales and Scotland requesting them to get involved in virtual training sessions aimed at educating young people and teachers about the reasons behind current events.

“The natural progression is to take action by helping with education programmes like ours, which increase understanding of racism and prejudice for a better future. That’s why we’re calling on footballers to join us,” Grebby added.