Three Lions: English football association redesigned logo

London - The English football association has revised its logo, consisting of the well-known three lions, to symbolize "greater inclusiveness". "The Three Lions are at the heart of English football. They symbolize progress, more inclusion and accessibility at all levels of football, from the grassroots to the elite," wrote the association on Twitter.

The Three Lions are at the heart of England Football.

It symbolises progression, greater inclusivity and accessibility in all levels of the beautiful game; from grassroots to elite. pic.twitter.com/psGIm7tGLO

— England Football (@EnglandFootball) May 6, 2021

The new representation goes on to say: "A young lion, a lion and a lioness unite to form the new coat of arms of English football, which knows no borders and represents everyone at all levels of football in the country."

The association's executive director, Mark Bullingham, told The Sun, "This is a significant change as we are bringing all of our grassroots initiatives and programs under one banner."

Three Lions go back to Richard the Lionheart
The change has received a divided response on social media. Some users complained that the coat of arms with the three lions, which go back to the English king and crusader Richard the Lionheart, had been sacrificed for political correctness.

The three Plantagenet lions sacrificed for this PC nonsense like a defeated power having to accept new neutered symbols

— Gray Connolly (@GrayConnolly) May 6, 2021

Others accused the association of destroying England's history.

You're literally destroying England's history. The Three Lions don't symbolise "progression," "inclusivity," or "accessibility." They're the arms of the crusader King Richard the Lionheart.

— Matej 🇲🇰 (@AFC_Matej) May 6, 2021

Premier League suspends play for Ramadan
Other voices asked why they didn't depict a gay, sexless, or wheelchair-sitting lion. Another user scoffed: "Why can't it be two lions and a cub or two lionesses? This is not an inclusion of alternative wildlife lifestyles as we see them in nature every day."

Richard I the Lionheart (1157-1199) first used the three lions on the coat of arms. It is now one of the national symbols of England.

At the beginning of May, the British Premier League football league called on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to take systematic action against racism on their platforms. At the end of April, the Premier League had its first game interruption so that Muslim players could break their Ramadan fast.

Source: Junge Freiheit