Ainsley Maitland-Niles declines to take the knee during Premier League anti-racism campaign

Everton defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles was the only player on the pitch who did not take the knee during the Premier League’s ‘No Room For Racism’ anti-racism campaign before a match against Chelsea. While his teammates and the Chelsea players participated in the gesture, Maitland-Niles remained standing.

The Premier League has designated specific matchweeks in October for players and staff to demonstrate support for efforts to combat discrimination. Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters stated that the initiative aims to show unity against all forms of discrimination and highlight the impact of diversity within the game.

Maitland-Niles has not provided a public explanation for his decision, and there has been no indication that his refusal was intended as opposition to the campaign itself. The practice of taking the knee became a regular feature in English football in 2020, though the league moved in 2022 to reserve the gesture for selected occasions rather than every fixture.