Andy Murray has praised U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka and Manchester United‘s Marcus Rashford for their work in driving social change.
Murray spoke in his BBC column on the importance of athletes speaking out and driving change.
“In tennis, we saw Naomi Osaka decide she would not play in her Western and Southern Open semifinal in August.” Murray said.
“As an individual athlete you have the opportunity to make that decision not to play yourself. [Osaka] obviously felt extremely strongly about what had happened.”
Osaka, 23, announced earlier this year that she wouldn’t play in her Western & Southern Open semifinal match in reaction of the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot seven times by police in August. He was shot as he attempted to enter the driver’s side door of his vehicle with three of his children inside. Blake would survive but was left partly paralyzed.
Throughout her winning run at the US Open, Osaka also wore a mask highlighting a different Black victim of racial injustice and police brutality.
England international Rashford was also praised by the former Wimbledon champion after he secured a U-turn from the British government to support his call to provide free meals to vulnerable children during the winter holidays.
“It’s something he [Rashford] has experienced himself and is very passionate about. They’ve raised millions for families of school children on lower incomes — and that’s amazing,” Murray said.
“Marcus is a really nice guy and it is such a great thing that he was able to use his voice to bring about change.”
Murray also took time to shed some light on his own endeavours, and spoke of his aim to put the spotlight on gender inequalities.
“I’ve used my platform to speak out during my career,” he added. “That is something I will continue to do.
“I experienced sexism in sport when I worked with Amelie Mauresmo and that was when it first came to my attention. Then I noticed it a lot more because maybe I’m looking out for it. Maybe it is not extremely overt, but it is there.”