'Being silent is never the answer' - Naomi Osaka strengthens support for Black Lives Matter after being told to ‘stay in her lane’

New Delhi, India

Two-time Grand Slam champion and the world’s highest-paid sportswoman, Naomi Osaka, who has faced backlash on social media after stepping up in her support to Black Lives Matter protests, has said that voices of elite athletes can be more influential than those of politicians while adding that she wants to use her platform to facilitate change. 

The Black Lives Matter movement has received support from all around the world in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who was killed in police custody on May 25.

The 22-year-old Osaka, who has Japanese and Haitian parents, grew up and lives mostly in the United States, said that Floyd’s murder and the situation in America have had a major impact on her while adding silent is never the answer. 

“I’m vocal because I believe in the movement and want to try to use my platform to facilitate change,” Osaka told Reuters.

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“George Floyd’s murder and the situation generally in America has had a big impact on me.

“Being silent is never the answer. Everyone should have a voice in the matter and use it.”

Osaka further said she had marched in Minneapolis while attending other Black Lives Matters protest in Los Angeles.

The tennis star further said that it took a pandemic, an economic crisis and a murder on camera for people to hear to Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee during the US national anthem before a 2016 NFL game and paid for his protest as he never played after that. 

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“Colin has been putting this message out since 2016. It took a pandemic, an economic crisis and a torturous murder on camera, all at the same time, for people to really hear him,” she said.

“It shouldn’t have been that way. If the NFL wants to show that they really care the first thing they should so is take a knee together and give Colin his job back. 

"That some people have said we as athletes should stick to sports is really insulting.”

Osaka has been receiving some hate messages on social media while being told to “stay in her lane” and focus on tennis. However, the youngster chose to respond to her critics with hilarious GIFs. 

“I probably shouldn’t read all the trolling but it’s hard to avoid,” said Osaka, who has over a million followers on Instagram.

“Using humour is definitely one mechanism to expose these people ... Calling them out for their ignorance and racism is also worthwhile sometimes.

“I’m more sad for them than myself – to be so hateful and ignorant can’t be an easy way to live life.”