Osaka: “A murder had to occur on camera to listen to Kaepernick”

The world of sports continues its involvement in the problem of racism after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. The images of Floyd's murder have sparked a wave of protests in the United States and around the world that many athletes have supported.

One of the last to do so has been the Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, who through a letter sent to the Reuters Agency He expressed his commitment to the #BlackLivesMatter initiative. Osaka emphasized the gesture that NFL player Colin Kaepernick starred in 2016, when he knelt before a game while the anthem was playing. U.S. An action that caused the quarterback to be disowned by the competition after Donald Trump's campaign towards him.

For this reason, Osaka asks the NFL to return Kaepernick's job in his commitment to fighting racism as stated by co-execution commissioner Roger Goodell. “Colin Kaepernick has already made this message relevant since 2016. He has had to go through a pandemic, an economic crisis and a murder on camera, all at the same time, for people to really listen to him. It shouldn't have been the way. If the NFL wants to show that caring for him is their priority, they should kneel together and give Colin his job back. That there are people who have said that as athletes we should stick only to sport seems insulting to me. “

Osaka also revealed in this letter why she has joined this movement and encourages people not to remain silent and denounce these episodes of racism. “I am a spokesperson because I believe in the movement and I want to try to use my platforms to make change easier. The murder of George Floyd and the situation that has been generated in America has affected me a lot. Being silent is never the answer. Everyone should have a voice on this topic and use it. “

Osaka also regretted the insults he received for his support of this campaign and says he took them with humor, while showing his enthusiasm for the expansion of protests against racism. “I probably shouldn't be reading the comments that trolled me, but it's hard to avoid it. Using humor is a mechanism to expose those people. Calling them out for their ignorance or racism isn't worth it. I'm sadder for them than for me, because they have a life full of hatred and ignorance that should not be easy to lead. We have struggled for hundreds of years and change does not come. I think this time there are different feelings and energies and the protests are going a long way. There are also marches on the BLM in Japan! That makes me happy. I am hopeful that there will be changes. We will continue to campaign for it and I call for a better future for the next generation. “