Sky Sports pundits deal fresh blow to BLM as they all ditch badges and wear ‘Kick It Out’ logos

Sky Sports pundits deal fresh blow to BLM as they all ditch badges and wear ‘Kick It Out’ logos instead… but TV rivals on BT Sport – including Rio Ferdinand – continue to show their support despite row over far-left ideology

  • Sky Sports pundits have ditched the Black Lives Matter badges on Saturday 
  • The guest panel instead wore Kick It Out emblems in support of that campaign
  • But BT Sport’s experts continue to wear BLM badges despite recent controversy
  • Concern was raised over a far-left ideology after a series of social media posts 

Black Lives Matter badges were again absent from Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage – with most guest pundits on Soccer Saturday instead choosing to support football-focused anti-racism charity Kick It Out.  

Host Jeff Stelling and experts Clinton Morrison, Paul Merson and Matt Le Tissier all donned the other campaign’s badges just days after concern was raised over the Black Lives Matter movement’s ideology. 

Glen Johnson opted not to support either campaign, however, after Sky allowed pundits to make their own decisions over whether to wear the emblems. 

But for BT Sport’s broadcast of Norwich’s clash against Brighton during the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, every guest was wearing BLM badges. 

Black Lives Matter badges were again absent from Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage

The pundits on Soccer Saturday had instead chosen to support the Kick It Out movement

The pundits on Soccer Saturday had instead chosen to support the Kick It Out movement

But Rio Ferdinand (pictured), Robbie Savage and Steve Sidwell wore BLM badges on BT Sport

But Rio Ferdinand (pictured), Robbie Savage and Steve Sidwell wore BLM badges on BT Sport

Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Savage and Steve Sidwell joined Jake Humphrey for the programme and supported the BLM movement in a stark contrast to their peers on Sky Sports. 

Footballers have also taken a knee to show solidarity with the movement before kick-off – and the players for the Norwich game were no different. 

The stars lined up as usual before the first whistle and crouched to the ground, along with coaching staff and officials at the ground.

The Premier League has distanced itself from BLM, but players in top flight matches still sport ‘Black Lives Matter’ patches on their sleeves after George Floyd’s death in the United States in May.

And since the league returned on June 17, Sky Sports presenters have worn the badges featuring the campaign’s slogan after the coronavirus outbreak. 

Host Jake Humphrey was among those to continue supporting the campaign on Saturday

Host Jake Humphrey was among those to continue supporting the campaign on Saturday

However, question marks were raised after a series of tweets was released by BLM which had criticised Israel and also called on the UK government to ‘defund the police’. 

Premier League chiefs are not expected to ditch the BLM badge on shirts after making the distinction between the actual cause and the group itself. 

Kick It Out has expressed no political ideology, unlike the BLM movement. 

The BBC have outright banned their pundits and guests from wearing BLM badges after the recent storm. 

A senior source at the corporation is quoted as telling the Daily Telegraph that bosses did not want ‘visual symbols of support’ for the movement to be worn on screen.  

On Sunday's Match of the Day Alan Shearer or Micah Richards weren't wearing BLM badges

On Sunday’s Match of the Day Alan Shearer or Micah Richards weren’t wearing BLM badges

Former Manchester City star Micah Richards had also been pictured not wearing the emblem

Former Manchester City star Micah Richards had also been pictured not wearing the emblem

On Sunday’s Match of the Day highlight show, neither Alan Shearer or Micah Richards had donned the emblem.  

The BBC source told the Daily Telegraph: ‘The BBC cannot be seen to support any kind of cause over another, and Black Lives Matter is certainly a campaign.

‘Therefore we wouldn’t want anyone on-screen to be wearing visual symbols of support. Our presenters and guests can discuss Black Lives Matter, and we’ve reported on it in depth. 

‘We’re not impartial about racism. But wearing badges on screen – as with any other campaign – would be a step too far.’