England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has backed protests taking place across the UK, saying "the only disease right now is the racism that we are fighting".

Thousands of people have taken part in Black Lives Matter marches in the UK, despite government warnings to avoid mass gatherings because of the threat of coronavirus.

"This is the most important thing at this moment in time because this is something that is happening for years and years," Sterling, 25, said.

Large protests have been held in London, Bristol, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh following the death of American George Floyd.

Floyd, 46, died while being arrested on 25 May in Minneapolis. The four officers involved have since been charged over the death, which sparked days of protest in the US and demonstrations across the world.

Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight programme, Sterling said: "Just like the pandemic, we want to find a solution to stop it.

"At the same time, this is what all these protesters are doing. They are trying to find a solution and a way to stop the injustice they are seeing and they are fighting for their cause.

"As long as they are doing it peacefully and safely and not hurting anybody and not breaking into any stores, they continue to protest in this peaceful way."

Many sports people have spoken out in protest over Floyd's death, with Sterling's England team-mate Jadon Sancho making on-pitch statements in Germany's Bundesliga.

Sterling, whose City side return to Premier League action on 17 June, has previously spoken of racist abuse he has suffered and the media's portrayal of black players.

Asked whether speaking out makes his job as a footballer harder, he said: "First and foremost, I don't really think about my job when things like this happen. I think about what is right.

"And at this moment in time, there's only so much people can take. There's only so much communities and other backgrounds can take - especially black people.

"It's been going on for hundreds of years and people are tired and people are ready for change.

"I keep saying this word. I see a lot of people on social [media], supporting the cause. But this is something that needs more than just talking.

"We need to actually implement change and highlight the places that do need changes.

"But this is something that I myself will continue to do, and spark these debates and get people in my industry looking at themselves and thinking what they can do to give people an equal chance in this country.

"Hopefully other industries can do that, and everyday society and the system as well."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52959292

I must mention and commend Sterling for being someone that consistently speaks out against treatment of people of color. He's been doing that for so long and at least he'll be remembered for it. It's good to be remembered for something.

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In Nigeria it is corruption,tribalism and religious bigotry...

Ok

Racism racism racism. Will it ever end?

I really don’t know what’s up with white folks when ever they are accused of being a racist all they come up with to defend themself is my girlfriend is black, my boyfriend is black, my best friend is black blah blah blah, I don’t know if it’s me but I really find that statement offensive!!

The porn guy below me May Thunder fire your left nut

Trump Decisively condemning the death of Floyd would have saved him all these mess. I’m an Igbo man but Igbo people who support Trump are just so gullible.

He brainwashed you with Christianity, he doesn’t even go to church.

He brainwashed you with being fearless yet protesters drove him into his bunker.

Trump has 261 indictments in 3+ years, Obama had zero indictment in 8 years, just to give you a measure to compare with Richard Nixon has 65 indictments and Resigned.

Trump has brainwashed idiots that there is a deep state, yet he is president?

This is the same reason pastors brainwash people and they cannot think for themselves, if you cannot see this dude is fraud and using your brain you are an idiot.

Trump used to believe vaccines caused Austism with no proof, does not believe in global warming even when there is several probes of it. Tweets like a kid, makes threats he cannot back up.

The last lie he has been telling is that employment started improving under him what you do not know is that Obama pulled America out of one of the worst recession in American history in 2008. Trump just continued the trend of employment that Obama had until recently that the employment figures went bad again under Trump.

This dude ran almost all his businesses into bankruptcy, has refused to release his tax returns to prove he is a billionaire and has refused to provide his DNA to exonerate him from rape cases against him. Why would you even support this idiot, because he pretends to be a Christian? Or he is an action man? Lol!

G

Good

Racism everywhere
Tribalism not ending soon

How are the blacks treating each other most especially Africa countries?

say no to racism!

Naija my country

Wow

Nigerians are worse than whites. We are bloody tribalistic bigots, nepotistic imbeciles and ethnic jingoistic bigots that prefer dead people to be in cabinets than for other tribes to occupy positions.

Hahah!!! American really Hear am this time.....

Good one sterling the big ass...

Y'all that are against racism still want Chelsea to leave England and travel all the way to Germany to face Bayern Munich behind close doors

Hypocrites everywhere

Person no fit enter nairaland again without seeing porn picture... Mods you need to step up your game

Exactly..

Yeye player

Issokay

Good of him..there's more racist abuse in football too

That is truth. Racism kill more than virus.

Unfortunately they are breaking into stores and stealing goods.


That's bad enough.

He is right.. Unfortunately, a new type of racism now exists, that is denying there is no racism at all.. Really pathetic

I love this. Other black footballers should follow suit.

HATE is the bigger picture. Do you know how many blacks that kill themselves daily in Chicago and NY. Do you know the number of murdered people and the annihilation happening in Africa, especially here in our backyard, the Northern Nigeria.

Racism should not be overrated . It's a vice just like Tribalism, Murder and Hate going on in the world.

Do you think the psycho white guy that goes to the Mall, movies to shoot innocent people cares if the victims are white, Asians or Black?

May God Heal the World. Again RIP George Floyd.