Olympique de Marseille have explained that they chose not to take the knee in their Champions League clash against Manchester City because French clubs 'don't accept US habit as easily as in the UK'.
Marseille were criticised after their players stood as City knelt before kick-off last month in the ritual that has become commonplace in the fight against racism.
Marseille insist they remained standing not as a snub but to show their support to the cause 'in their own way'.
'The gesture is an American one and the current situation in France is really different than in the UK,' a Marseille spokesman told The Mail on Sunday.