England's Lionesses Abandon Taking the Knee Following Racist Abuse Targeting Player During Euros

England has declared they will abandon their customary knee-taking gesture before their semifinal clash with Italy in the Women's Euros, marking a shift from their established practice, following racist online harassment targeting one of their squad members.

Lionesses defender Jess Carter revealed in a Sunday social media post that she has endured "extensive racial abuse" since the tournament began and will be stepping away from online platforms. The following day, England's women's national squad issued a statement announcing they would cease taking the knee before matches, a ritual they had maintained throughout all their Euros fixtures. They will now remain standing instead.

"We support Jess and every Lionesses player, past and present, who has faced racism," their statement declared. "Nobody should endure such disgusting harassment, whether in football or any aspect of life. ... Previously, we chose to kneel before matches. It's evident that we and football must discover alternative methods to combat racism. As a team, we've decided to stay standing before Tuesday's kickoff."

For context, taking the knee represents an anti-racism demonstration in soccer (and other sports) that functions as a symbolic stand against racial discrimination and police violence targeting Black individuals.

The Lionesses have maintained this practice since the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, continuing through the 2022 Euros and 2023 World Cup.

"The players and coaching staff have been kneeling at both club and international levels for more than a year, and we were unanimous in our choice to persist in doing everything possible to highlight racism and discrimination in every form, demonstrating unity and solidarity with everyone whose lives are impacted," England's previous interim manager Hege Riise stated in 2021. "We firmly believe that taking the knee represents a crucial symbol of peaceful resistance against discrimination, injustice and inequality."