It was reported at some point yesterday afternoon that the proposed England team reception at Downing Street where they would meet the Prime Minister and the Cabinet had been cancelled with attention instead shifting to Boris Johnson’s big speech next week, but it turns out that this isn’t the case at all and is just another example of the current incumbent government manipulating the truth yet again.

Featured Image VIA

Apparently, the reception was actually cancelled because the entire England team said that they refused to meet with Boris and Priti Patel and the rest of them as they had refused to condemn racism before and during the tournament after saying that they didn’t support the stance of the players taking the knee prior to kickoff. This coupled with the racist abuse that Saka, Sancho and Rashford experienced following their penalty misses in the final led them to boycott any potential reception at Downing Street and meeting with the Prime Minister.

The news comes courtesy of this tweet, but has also been confirmed by football website Swawkbox too:

We have it on good authority that the black English players told Gareth they wouldn’t attend the PM’s shindig at no 10. The words ‘Boris is cancelled’ were used aggressively. #Euro2020Final #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/MIG4lrjyQO

— Black and Asian Lawyers For Justice (@BameFor) July 13, 2021

I’m sure some people will argue that that isn’t true and that Downing Street is telling the truth of the matter, but given Rashford’s attacks on the government last year and Tyrone Mings calling out Priti Patel for her bullshit yesterday and the whole team’s commitment to taking the knee and support of Sancho, Saka and Rashford over the last couple of days, personally I’m more than inclined to believe it. What a bunch of lads these guys are. Would have been even better if they had won it and refused to go to Downing Street.

For more of the same, check out Chiellini saying he put a curse on Saka before he missed the decisive penalty. What a bastard.