Jadon Sancho Among Bundesliga Stars to Show Support for #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd
Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho marked his first goal in the 6-1 victory over Paderborn by revealing a shirt showing support for George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Riots have taken place all over America this past week after Floyd, an unarmed black man, died after a white police officer was filmed kneeling on his neck for over eight minutes.
Within hours of the footage emerging on Twitter, #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd was trending, and many high-profile figures - in sport and beyond - have thrown their support behind the movement.
Jadon Sancho back in the starting line up, scoring and sharing an important message. ❤️? pic.twitter.com/jUh7muQ1NF
— 90min (@90min_Football) May 31, 2020
Sancho - making his first start since football returned in Germany earlier this month - showed his support, after doubling Dortmund's lead in Sunday evening's rout.
In a gesture that has since been spread far and wide on social media, in his celebration, he removed his shirt to reveal a T-shirt printed with the message 'Justice for George Floyd'.
First professional hat trick ??. A bittersweet moment personally as there are more important things going on in the world today that we must address and help make a change. We have to come together as one & fight for justice. We are stronger together! ❤️ #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd ?? pic.twitter.com/ntOtwOySCO
— Jadon Sancho (@Sanchooo10) May 31, 2020
He received a customary booking, but went on to score a hat-trick as Dortmund brushed aside basement club Paderborn with ease.
He's not the only prominent Bundesliga figure to voice his support for the movement which continues to sweep America. Schalke captain Weston McKennie - a US international - displayed the same message on his armband during Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Werder Bremen.
To be able to use my platform to bring attention to a problem that has been going on to long feels good!!! We have to stand up for what we believe in and I believe that it is time that we are heard! #justiceforgeorgefloyd #saynotoracism pic.twitter.com/TRB1AGm0Qx
— Weston McKennie (@WMckennie) May 30, 2020
Gladbach striker Marcus Thuram, meanwhile, marked the first of his goals against Union Berlin on Sunday with a kneel - a direct reference to former NFL star Colin Kaepernick, who knelt during the US national anthem in 2016, in protest of institutional racism and police brutality.
No explanation needed. pic.twitter.com/5JO1CCJexU
— Gladbach (@borussia_en) May 31, 2020
The football world seems to have united around the anti-racist sentiment voiced by the #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd movement, but some have expressed disappointment at FIFA, who deleted a tweet from their official account which showed Sancho's celebration.
Disappointing, but FIFA has now deleted its tweet in support of George Floyd pic.twitter.com/QjI7srupyZ
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) May 31, 2020
Sancho's Dortmund moved back to within seven points of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich after they dismissed Fortuna Dusseldorf by five goals to nil on Saturday.
The England international's three goals put him on 17 league goals for the season, and with the same number of assists, he has been directly involved in more goals than any other Bundesliga player in 2019/20.
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