Lilian Thuram insists sport's whistleblowers on racism continue to be sidelined

France legend Lilian Thuram fears sport's whistleblowers on racism are still living in fear of being 'eliminated'.

The ex-Barcelona defender, 49, was speaking as 30-year-old cricket ace Azeem Rafiq insisted on Tuesday that his career had been lost to discrimination and racism.

The case has startling echoes to the situation involving NFL star Colin Kaepernick who has been exiled from the sport since 2017 after kneeling to highlight racial injustice.

Asked about Kaepernick, Thuram said: "I am not surprised. Things haven't changed.

"Historically the people who denounce the racism of institutions are usually always put on the sidelines.

"Unfortunately still today there are sportspeople afraid of taking a stance. That is why it is necessary to encourage the younger people to have courage."

With the Premier League returning this weekend, Thuram has praised Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson for using his platform to highlight the racist abuse suffered by black footballers.

Earlier this year, the England midfielder called on white footballers to speak out in solidarity.

Thuram believes when white players start walking off in protest at racism, the authorities will address the problem.

He went on: "Jordan Henderson understood that he could not remain silent. He took a stand with his words by saying: 'Look, I have not suffered from racism. But in speaking about racism I can affect certain people who may not otherwise hear about it.'

"I've always said that it is the white players who have to walk off the pitch. Because very often there's a hypocrisy that we ask the players who suffer the racist abuse: 'What should we do' - as if it is they who have to find the solution.

"The day when white players understand they are part of the solution and they know they cannot be neutral, things will advance.

"You will see that the institutions will find solutions to the problem of racism because again, when I tell you that since 1996 up until 2021 there has still been m noises in football stadiums, it is because we don't stop the matches.

'If you stopped the matches, you stop the business - and football is a business - then the footballing institutions will be forced to find a solution."