Women’s team refrains from kneeling – honors Lagrell

Of: Petra Thorén

Published: September 22, 2020 kl. 13.46
Updated: September 22, 2020 kl. 15.37

REYKJAVIK. The national team establishes their plan to kneel before the international match against Iceland.

Instead, the players and leaders honor Lars-Åke Lagrell, who recently passed away.

Both teams will hold a “moment of silence” before kick-off to remember and pay tribute to one of the greatest leaders in Swedish football, announces SvFF.

On Tuesday night, Sweden will play Iceland in the European Championship qualifiers. Before the game, the players planned, as before Thursday’s game against Hungary, to kneel.

This as a gesture for human rights and against racism.

– Tuesday will end again, we will do it again, Caroline Seger told Sportbladet yesterday.

But shortly after the press conference, word came that one of the greatest leaders in Swedish football, Lars-Åke Lagrell, had passed away. Lars-Åke Lagrell was president of the Swedish Football Association for more than 20 years and died at the age of 80.

On Tuesday, the Swedish Football Association announced in a press release that the national team, instead of kneeling, will take the opportunity to honor Lars-Åke Lagrell:

“The squat planned by the national team, for human rights and equal value for all, will not take place in tonight’s game that was originally planned.

Photo: CARL SANDIN / BILDBYRÅN

Before the game against Hungary.

The national team remains united in the message against racism and all forms of discrimination, but after yesterday’s announcement of the death of Lars-Åke Lagrell, the decision was made to refrain from kneeling in this match to honor the former president of the national team before starting.

Both teams will hold a “moment of silence” before kick-off to commemorate and pay tribute to one of the top leaders in Swedish football.

In yesterday’s DN, National Team Manager Marika Domanski Lyfors spoke about the importance of Lars-Åke Lagrell for women’s football in Sweden.

The game against Iceland is played at 8:00 p.m. Swedish time and is broadcast on SVT.

Published: September 22, 2020 kl. 13.46

READ ON