Berlin (dpa) – olympic champion tommie smith, whose 1968 black power gesture became a symbol of protest in sports against racism, buries the expressions of solidarity from the fubball bundesliga after the violent death of african american george floyd.
"I’m very pleased to hear that," smith (76) told "bild am sonntag" about last week’s protests by jadon sancho and achraf hakimi (borussia dortmund) and marcus thuram (borussia monchengladbach). This weekend there were again similar actions on the platzen, among others in dortmund and leverkusen.
"They obviously understood that george floyd represents them too. He represents a system that needs help," said the former world-class athlete. "A global system of love and solidarity that is also threatened by political leaders. It takes many people to protect and strengthen this system. And to sturgeon those who want to poison it."
Smith had been on 16. October 1968 at the award ceremony for the 200-meter race at the olympic games in mexico, together with his third-place compatriot john carlos (75), raised their gloved fists to the sky. The gesture is one of the most striking symbols in the history of sport.
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