Former Liverpool Football Club Player, Howard Gayle Turns Down MBE Award

Howard Gayle, the first Black footballer to play for Liverpool Football Club in the UK, has declined to accept an MBE nomination.

Gayle says to accept such an award would be a betrayal to his ancestors who suffered mightily under the rule of the British Empire.

MBE, which stands for Member of the British Empire is one of the awards bestowed within the UK Honours System. The Honours system is overseen by the Cabinet Office Honours and Appointments Secretariat in the UK.

Gayle made his debut for Liverpool FC in 1977 as the first Black Man to play for the club. Now at age 58 he campaigns for "Show Racism the Red Card - a movement started to eradicate racism from within football in the UK.

According to a BBC report, Gayle is reported to have stated that he had to decline the nomination, or else his ancestors would be "turning in their graves".

He also made a wider facebook post about his decision to decline. See his FB comment: