Marc Guehi and peers double down on anti‑racism protest AGAIN
By OLLIE LEWIS, SPORTS DIGITAL EDITOR, 24 October 2026, England and Man City star Marc Guehi refused to take the knee for the second week running. The defender stayed upright and clapped before kick‑off at Villa Park as league leaders City faced Aston Villa. His stance was repeated AGAIN during the pre‑match routine.
Other players also defy the gesture
Alongside Guehi, Ipswich Town's Issa Diop, Everton's Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Leeds' Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Bournemouth's Rayan and Tyler Adams remained standing when the Premier League rolled out its ‘No Room for Racism’ initiative last weekend. The players chose to stay on their feet while the rest of the squads knelt. Their actions highlighted the ongoing debate within England's top flight.
Campaign background and dissent
The anti‑racism campaign was launched in the UK in 2020 after the death of George Floyd and was originally performed before every match until it stopped in August 2022. It was later limited to match rounds falling during the No Room for Racism initiative, with Premier League captains agreeing to perform the gesture twice over 38 rounds. Wilfried Zaha voiced strong opposition in 2021, saying the knee had become degrading, while the Lionesses opted out of the gesture before their Euro 2025 semi‑final after racist abuse, with captain Lucy Bronze noting the message was no longer as strong.
Man City defender Marc Guehi this week suggested the knee had ‘lost its meaning’, reinforcing his refusal to kneel. Daniel Farke, Leeds manager, explained Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s view, quoting him: ‘Dom is more or less like, “No, I don’t go down. I show my respect by standing up.”’ The head of football’s international anti‑discrimination body, Fare, questioned the Lionesses’ decision, while Piara Powar told Sport that players have the right to stop taking the knee but stressed the act remains a powerful anti‑racist statement.
Footballers in England’s top flight have been given the opportunity to take the knee across two weekends this month in an effort to challenge discrimination. The league will again offer the gesture next weekend, meaning the debate is set to continue as more players decide how to show their respect.