Premier League set to end virtue-signalling silences and meaningless gestures with no link to sport

The reported decision emerged from a newly formed committee tasked with evaluating how the sport responds to worldwide incidents.

English football authorities acknowledged that the rapid increase in gestures had raised questions about consistency and impact.

This prompted a comprehensive review of when and how the sport should commemorate global events at matches.

The World Events Working Group (WEWG), made up of representatives from all four professional divisions and football's three main administrative bodies, was established in 2024 to provide consistent guidance on commemorative decisions.

Under the new framework, reported by The Times, only incidents with explicit footballing connections will trigger league-wide responses.

This reverses previous practices that saw widespread commemorations for events such as the Moroccan earthquake and Libyan flooding disasters.

Evidence of this policy shift emerged last month when only Bolton Wanderers, Salford City, Manchester United and Manchester City observed a minute's silence following a knife attack at a nearby synagogue.

Despite these tributes, other Premier League venues continued normal pre-match proceedings.

The Football Association (FA) has adopted matching criteria for illuminating Wembley's arch.

The structure will now be reserved exclusively for sporting or entertainment purposes, rather than social causes or international incidents.

This policy follows controversy when the stadium failed to display Israeli colours after the October 7, 2023 terror attacks by Hamas that claimed 1,200 lives, despite having previously illuminated the arch for Ukraine following Russia's 2022 invasion.

Jewish leaders had questioned this apparent inconsistency in the FA's approach to international crises.

The arch remains available for non-football event promoters, as demonstrated when Coldplay turned it yellow and when Saudi Arabia's national colours were displayed during last year's boxing fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

Traditional Remembrance Sunday observances will remain unchanged.

Clubs will continue to display poppies on their shirts this weekend to honour former players who gave their lives during both World Wars, as well as British veterans.

The WEWG's remit excludes player-initiated demonstrations, such as taking a knee during anti-racism campaigns, which remain at the athletes' discretion.

Individual clubs maintain the decision to commemorate local tragedies as they deem appropriate.

At the same time, government guidance will direct football's response to events of national importance, as occurred when matches were postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

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