Praises have been rained on Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling for their work to condemn social inequalities, with the pair setting an example for other Premier League stars to follow according to ex-Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi.
United forward Rashford has been awarded an MBE after his awareness campaign led to a government U-turn on supplying free school meals to children whose families are struggling financially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the same vein, Manchester City star Sterling, meanwhile, has been an outspoken critic of racism, with high-profile incidents of abuse and discrimination continuing to tarnish both footbal and the wider world.
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The Premier League is aiming to highlight the need for more action with its ‘No Room for Racism’ campaign, and is encouraging fans to challenge and report racism wherever they see it.
And Ameobi, who is one of the members of the Premier League’s Black Player’s Advisory Group [BPAG] alongside the likes of Troy Deeney, Ian Wright, Joleon Lescott and Darren Moore, believes that the actions of both Rashford and Sterling will help other players stand up for what they believe is right.
“What Raheem had to deal with and speak on sets a great example for the rest of us to not settle for the status quo, but challenge what’s going on in society,” Ameobi said in a recent interview.
“Ian Wright has spoken out recently and the more people that speak out the more it helps. It hurts, and the more people who can speak out helps society understand that this is not right.
“I am blown away with the impact and it goes to show how much impact footballers and sports stars can have.
“When you look at the campaign Rashford has done and how it has affected change at a national level, this is something that is an important issue that we have to deal with.
“The fact he has been able to use his voice at such a young age to really affect change speaks to his character and what he believes in. That, for me, sets an example for the rest of us and shows us we can have an impact on these social issues.
“Marcus fights the fight for those who can’t, and that’s what we are all trying to do. I am proud of what he has done and he has rightly been recognised for that.”
The Premier League’s latest push to challenge racism both within football and away from the game comes in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests around the world following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota in May.
Footballers in England have held their own peaceful protests since the Premier League returned to action in June, with players continuing to take a knee ahead of every top-flight fixture during the new campaign.
And while in-stadium incidents of abuse tend to create the most headlines, the English top-flight is also aiming to target online racial abuse, with Tammy Abraham and Wilfried Zaha just some of the high-profile names to have been targeted over the past 18 months.
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