SOUTH African wicket-keeper batsman Quinton De Kock did not play against West Indies in the International Cricket Council T20 World Cup match on Tuesday as he refused to kneel to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
Since 2020, athletes around the world have been kneeling before games in support of black rights.
The movement was fuelled by the police killing of unarmed African-American George Floyd in the US.
The gesture was started in 2016 by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick who knelt during the playing of the US national anthem.
De Kock declined to follow suit, saying he was unavailable for the match against West Indies due to 'personal reasons.'
On Monday, Cricket South Africa (CSA) decided that all South African cricketers must take the knee before matches in the T20 World Cup, currently being held in United Arab Emirates and Oman.
CSA said, 'After considering all relevant issues, including the position of the players, the board felt that it was imperative for the team to be seen taking a united and consistent stand against racism, especially given SA's (South Africa's) history.'
CSA board chairperson Lawson Naidoo added, 'A commitment to overcoming racism is the glue that should unite, bind and strengthen us.'
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