Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Players have been taking the knee before kick-off in an effort to highlight racial issues

Premier League to discuss scrapping taking knee gesture

Premier League captains will meet again this week to make a decision over whether to continue taking the knee before matches during the upcoming season.

Soccer • 01 Aug 22

Adam Gemili has spoken out on the IOC's protest ban

Gemili to take a knee if he wins medal in Tokyo

Adam Gemili said he would take a knee at the Tokyo Games if he wins a medal and the British sprinter predicts "all hell would break loose" if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) punishes athletes for protesting.

Olympics • 21 May 21

Wilfried Zaha: "Unless action is going to happen, don't speak to me about it."

Zaha: Taking a knee is degrading - we should stand tall

Wilfried Zaha has reiterated his belief that taking the knee before matches is "degrading" and insists that on the subject of racism: "Unless action is going to happen, don't speak to me about it."

Soccer • 18 Feb 21

Ireland and Everton captain Seamus Coleman and Tom Davies (L)

'Taking the knee' retains overwhelming player support

Taking the knee as an act of solidarity against racism continues to have the overwhelming support of professional footballers, according to the players' union, the Professional Footballers' Association.

Soccer • 18 Dec 20

Colin Kazim-Richards of Derby County raises his right fist before the clash at The Den

Millwall fans boo as players take knee for BLM movement

Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari has applauded the players of Millwall and Derby for "defying the hate shown by some fans" at The Den on Saturday.

Soccer • 05 Dec 20

Lewis Hamilton continues to fight against racism

I can't stay silent on racism in motorsport - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton says becoming the most decorated driver in Formula One history "doesn't mean anything" unless he continues to lead the fight against racism in the sport.

Motorsport • 17 Nov 20

Les Ferdinand thinks the impact of taking a knee has now been diluted

Taking knee akin to 'fancy hashtag or nice pin badge'

Les Ferdinand has defended QPR's decision not to take the knee ahead of their match against Coventry, claiming the gesture's "message has been lost" and is now akin to a "a fancy hashtag or a nice pin badge".

Soccer • 21 Sep 20

NBA to resume but Trump slams 'political organisation'

The NBA has said it hopes to resume play today or tomorrow after players agreed to resume games following boycotts in protest against racial injustice and police brutality, while US President Donald Trump has denounced the league as "like a political organisation."

Basketball • 28 Aug 20

Billy Vunipola did not take a knee last weekend

Vunipola explains his Black Lives Matter stance

Billy Vunipola declined to take a knee in support of Black Lives Matter last weekend because of his opposition to elements of the movement's protests.

Rugby • 19 Aug 20

The game kicks off at 7.35pm and is live on RTÉ Radio 1

Anti-racism gestures planned for Irish Pro14 fixtures

Players from Ireland's four provinces will make an anti-racism gesture ahead of this weekend's Guinness Pro14 derbies at the Aviva Stadium.

Rugby • 17 Aug 20

LOI players to take a knee when season resumes

The PFAI has confirmed that SSE Airtricity League players will take a knee before matches when the domestic soccer season resumes on 31 July.

Soccer • 24 Jul 20

Washington's NFL team will now be known as the Washington Football Team

Washington Redskins to become Washington Football Team

Washington's NFL team will be known simply as the Washington Football Team when the 2020 season kicks off after dropping the controversial 'Redskins' moniker earlier this month.

US Sport • 23 Jul 20

Lewis Hamilton raises a clenched fist in Spielberg

Hamilton highlights issues with BLM for some drivers

Lewis Hamilton says he has spoken to some of the Formula One drivers who have not taken a knee - and hopes to unite the grid on the issue.

Motorsport • 13 Jul 20

Thierry Henry raised further awareness of the Black Lives Matter campaign with his show of solidarity

Henry takes knee for 8:46 minutes in MLS

Thierry Henry paid a personal tribute to George Floyd as the Montreal Impact head coach took a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds at the start of his side's MLS encounter against New England Revolution.

Soccer • 10 Jul 20

Republic of Ireland Under-21 attacker Jonathan Afolabi

Young, black and Irish - the generation ready to rise

Ireland has a wave of young sportspeople, the children of the immigrants who arrived to theses shores at the tail end of the Celtic Tiger. The time for them to shine at the pinnacle of their chosen sport has now arrived.

Soccer • 09 Jul 20

It was a case of different strokes for different folks before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix

Hamilton could continue knee stance

Lewis Hamilton could continue to take a knee at Formula One races - saying he does not want the fight against racism to die a silent death.

Motorsport • 06 Jul 20

Navratilova hails Gauff's role in shaping social change

Martina Navratilova insists rising tennis star Coco Gauff has the ability to "change the world for the better" after the American delivered a powerful speech at a Black Lives Matter demonstration last month.

Tennis • 02 Jul 20

Richard Masters: 'I don't think it sets any particular precedent'

BLM support not green light for 'other activism'

The Premier League's support of the Black Lives Matter movement "does not set any particular precedent", according to its chief executive Richard Masters, who warned players and managers will still face punishment for making unapproved political gestures.

Soccer • 30 Jun 20

Mercedes' new colours will be on display in Austria this weekend

Back in black - Mercedes to race in new livery

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team will run an all-black livery and an 'End Racism' message on their cars this season.

Motorsport • 29 Jun 20

England rugby boss won't sing 'Swing Low'

England Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney says he will not sing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" anymore due to its links with American slavery but added that it would be difficult to ban the song.

Rugby • 24 Jun 20

The banner reading 'White Lives Matter Burnley' was towed by a plane above the stadium

Burnley players 'ashamed' by banner flown over Etihad

Burnley captain Ben Mee admitted he was ashamed after a 'White Lives Matter Burnley' banner was flown over the Etihad Stadium during the team's 5-0 thrashing by Manchester City on Monday evening.

Soccer • 23 Jun 20

Michael Johnson after winning the men's 200m final at the 1996 Atlanta Games

Johnson: I believe you're complicit if you're silent

Michael Johnson has urged the world's leading sports stars to take a stand in support of Black Lives Matter and play their part in stamping out the scourge of racism across the globe.

Athletics • 19 Jun 20

Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (R) gestures as players and officials take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement at the Etihad Stadium

Premier League takes a knee for Black Lives Matter

Premier League players took a knee before kick-off at Aston Villa versus Sheffield United and Manchester City against Arsenal in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Soccer • 17 Jun 20

'We haven't discussed that, and we haven't got any plans to do so'

'No plans' for Premier League to discuss Rooney Rule

The Premier League's chief executive, Richard Masters, says the English top flight has no plans to introduce a US-style rule to ensure members of minorities are interviewed for any vacant coaching positions but has backed the move to have the slogan 'Black Lives Matter' on player's shirts.

Soccer • 16 Jun 20

Any player who wishes to take a knee before or during matches will be supported by the league

'Black Lives Matter' to appear on Premier League shirts

Players will have the names on the back of their shirts replaced with 'Black Lives Matter' for the first 12 fixtures of the restarted Premier League season.

Soccer • 12 Jun 20