West Indies legend Michael Holding has heaped praise on England's footballers for their continued fight against racism.
However, the 67-year old has criticised England's cricketers for failing to take a knee against racism in their test with New Zealand at Edgbaston.
Holding has just published a new book - Why We Kneel, How We Rise - in which he speaks to athletes like Usain Bolt, Naomi Osaka and Thierry Henry, as well as relaying his own experiences of racism in sport.
Speaking to Sky Sports at lunch on day two of England's test with New Zealand, Holding hit out at those who incorrectly claim Black Lives Matter is a "Marxist movement".
"I would love to have seen a lot more progress here in this country", he said of England, "I want to see this country really taking a firm grip of the situation and doing things that people can look and say 'yes, times are changing, people are accepting that things are wrong' and we can move forward.
"I'm very disappointed with some of the things that I hear people saying. I'm disappointed, but not surprised.
"When you hear people talking about 'BLM is Marxist', some of the people that talk about BLM being Marxist, they don't even know who Karl Marx is or what he stood for.
"But they tell you that because they are trying to pull down the movement of Black Lives Matter."
💬They are showing some intestinal fortitude.💬
Michael Holding says his career would have been over if he had made a stand against racism during his playing days and praises the England football team for taking the knee despite some fans continuing to boo the gesture. pic.twitter.com/wkAdps2Qli— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 11, 2021
England and New Zealand players have been observing a 'moment of unity' prior to play at Edgbaston, something which Holding says plays into the racist narrative 'all lives matter'.
"That is not supporting Black Lives Matter," he said, "Don't tell me that's supporting Black Lives Matter, because what you are doing there is... when I say 'Black Lives Matter', you're telling me 'all lives matter'.
"The footballers, Gareth Southgate and the England team, I applaud them for what they're doing," he said.
"They are getting a lot of stick for taking the knee, they're getting booed, but they are showing some backbone.
"They are showing some intestinal fortitude. They're saying 'we're doing it because we know what we're doing - not for a political movement, we're doing it for humanitarian reasons'."
Scotland players WILL take the knee in solidarity with England at Euros
