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Dortmund defender Achraf Hakimi imitates his teammate Jadon Sancho by displaying a "Justice for George Floyd" undershirt during their Bundesliga clash with Paderborn at Benteler Arena, Germany, May 31, 2020. /VCG
Rarely has a rule looked so incongruous with the current political climate.
The International Football Association Board, the sport's rule-makers, prohibits all players from showing "any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images" during a game.
Notwithstanding, Borussia Dortmund wonder-kid Jadon Sancho and three other Bundesliga stars were righteously aggrieved when reports emerged that they could face punishment for taking a firm stance against racism on the pitch.
As a nod to the tragic death of a black American man in police custody
that has resonated around the world, Sancho lifted his jersey to reveal a handwritten "Justice for George Floyd" message on his undershirt after scoring on Sunday.
His teammate Achraf Hakimi and Schalke 04's Weston McKennie performed similar stunts, while Borussia Moenchengladbach's Marcus Thuram took a knee, evoking memories of former NFL player Colin Kaepernick's signature gesture in protest against police brutality.
Borussia Moenchengladbach's Marcus Thuram takes a knee to honor George Floyd during their Bundesliga clash with Union Berlin at Borussia-Park, Germany, May 31, 2020. /VCG
Such a public display of empathy and solidarity in an increasingly divided society has drawn widespread praise from supporters and clubs. Little wonder that many are appalled by the unseemly intervention of Rainer Koch, the vice president of the German Football Federation (DFB), who appeared to try nibbing the athlete activism in the bud.
"The game itself should remain free of political statements or messages of any kind ... There are of course opportunities before and after the match for these kinds of things," Koch declared on Monday before confirming that the DFB will launch an investigation into Sancho and company's behavior.
Facing mounting pressure to step in, world football governing body FIFA, who has long been accused of being out of touch amid a cascade of corruption allegations, eventually released a statement, urging competition organizers to use "common sense" when considering whether to sanction players for paying tribute to Floyd during games.
To hammer home the point even more, FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave a blunt speech late on Tuesday, stressing "for the avoidance of doubt, the recent demonstrations of players in Bundesliga matches would deserve an applause and not a punishment."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino steps into the debate about Bundesliga players' George Floyd protests by saying that they should be applauded and not punished. /VCG
The whipsaw shift in tone obviously sits uncomfortably with the DFB, who felt compelled to issue an urgent announcement on Wednesday, pointing out that no disciplinary action would be taken against Sancho, Hakimi, McKennie and Thuram for "their symbols of solidarity."
"This line will also be taken should further players make demonstrations on racism and the death of Floyd over the course of upcoming match-days," it helpfully added.
The latest twist was music to Joshua Kimmich's ears. The outspoken Bayern Munich midfielder has never hesitated to voice his personal opinions. But he observed that there will inevitably be more bumps in the road ahead and it is exceedingly important for all footballers, no matter if they are white or black, to make a stand against racism.
"As a football player you have a big power in this world. My opinion is we should feel this responsibility and say something like Sancho did," said Kimmich. "It's good that it's not just one player. Maybe it is also an option to say something as a team. We are one world, one club, one football team. It doesn't matter if you are black or white."
Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich insists footballers should acknowledge their responsibility as role models and take a stand against racism. /VCG
"We as footballers, like with Sancho, have a lot of power to reach other people, to be role models and to say something. What we say to people outside gives us a big chance to make a statement. We discussed it and maybe we can do something. We maybe have to do something because we cannot give something like this a place," he added.
The battle waged in the name of athlete activism may have been won, but the global war on racism is far from over.
