THE SCOTTISH national football team has confirmed that its players will not be taking the knee prior to matches at Euro 2020 this summer.
Much has been made over the past few weeks of the gesture, which continues to fiercely divide people.
Sports stars across the world have been dropping to one knee before matches in a show of support for racial equality, and while the gesture has been well received by many, some dislike the association it has with the left-wing political activist group Black Lives Matter.
With fans now allowed back into stadiums, the gesture has been thrust further into the spotlight, particularly after England were booed by their own fans in both of their Euro 2020 warm up matches earlier this month.
Gareth Southgate penned an open letter to England supporters, telling them that the team will continue to take the knee and urged everyone to come together.
In the Scotland camp, the squad decided not to continue with the gesture following an emergency team meeting, reportedly because many of the players feel as if the symbol has become diluted.
A statement released by the Scottish FA insisted that the team "will continue to take a stand against racism prior to kick-off for all UEFA Euro 2020 matches", despite choosing not to take the knee anymore.
It means that Steve Clarke's side will line up against Southgate's England next Friday, but won't be joining them in a pre-match show of solidarity.
Speaking back in March, Clarke said: "Recent events and past events show that you have to keep changing people's mindsets about racism.
"I think the knee when it was first proposed and first taken was a really powerful symbol. It's maybe now become a little diluted.
"Maybe just taking a stand as opposed to the knee will just waken everybody up to the fact that if we go to sleep it will never go away."
Ireland's players were roundly booed by 7,000 fans in Budapest when they took the knee before their 0-0 draw with Hungary earlier this week.
The Hungarian players remained standing, but some players notably pointed to the 'respect' badge on the sleeve of their jerseys.
During the Six Nations earlier in the year, Ireland's rugby team chose not to take the knee prior to each of their matches.
