Football: Taking the knee is degrading – Crystal Palace star Zaha slams EPL equality initiative

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha has criticised taking the knee before English Premier League games, saying the equality initiative has become "degrading." Speaking in a pre-recorded interview at Thursday's virtual FT Business of Football summit, the 28-year-old said that Black Lives Matter equality initiatives were making a "target" of black players who should "stand tall." Players have been taking the knee to protest against racial injustice before each game since England's top-flight resumed in June following the coronavirus lockdown. Started by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016, in became widespread across sport last year after the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, USA. Zaha has been the target of online racial abuse a number of times - including from a 12-year-old boy last year.