Sport World Hails Chauvin Conviction but Adds More Work To Do To End Racism

The sporting world celebrated the conviction on Tuesday of former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin for the murder of 👤George Floyd but cautioned there was still work ahead to achieve racial justice and equality.

The verdict followed months of protest in the United States triggered by the murder of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, last May that sparked a global movement uniting athletes around the world.

In an arrest captured on video, Chauvin is seen pushing his knee into the neck of the handcuffed Floyd for more than nine minutes outside the grocery store where he had been accused of buying cigarettes with a fake $20 bill.

“Thank God … guilty! Justice has been served!!,” tweeted NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.

The three-week trial had raised already raw tensions further as cities across the U.S. braced for the possibility of an unpopular verdict and more protests.

There were reports leagues had prepared plans to postpone games if the verdict sparked violence but instead there were celebrations on the streets and across social media.

“JUSTICE for George! The emotions I feel right now are hard to describe,” said Formula One’s only Black driver, seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton on his Twitter account. “Derek Chauvin has been found guilty.

“This is monumental, George’s death is not in vain.

“Convicting him of all three charges marks a new dawn in the fight for racial justice.”

A 12-member jury needed only 10 hours of deliberation to convict Chauvin of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Most of North America’s sport leagues were quick to respond, the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS and WNBA all issuing statements praising the verdict and promising to do more to fight racism.