Laila Ali: It's 'Wonderful' Colin Kaepernick Got SI Muhammad Ali Legacy Award
Laila Ali, the daughter of the late Muhammad Ali, told TMZ Sports on Friday that she was happy Colin Kaepernick was recently presented with Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award.
"Isn't that wonderful?" Laila said of the honor. "He has my 100 percent stamp of approval."
Beyonce presented Kaepernick with the award Tuesday night at the 2017 Sportsperson of the Year Awards Show in New York.
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"I accept this award not for myself, but on behalf of the people," Kaepernick said, according to Variety (via NBC News). "Because if it were not for my love of the people, I would not have protested. And if it was not for the support from the people, I would not be on this stage today. With or without the NFL's platform, I will continue to work for the people because my platform is the people."
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has been likened to Muhammad Ali since he started protesting social injustice and racial inequality by kneeling for the national anthem last season.
"He's this generation's Ali," civil rights activist Harry Edwards told USA Today's Jarrett Bell in May.
Former United States Olympian John Carlos, who raised his fist in a Black Power salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, echoed that sentiment last month.
"Through his commitment and sacrifice to speak about the awareness of police brutality against blacks in America, Kaepernick has cemented his status in my books as one of many great individuals whose name will be spoken alongside the likes of Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, Dr. Tommie Smith, Peter Norman, and myself," Carlos said, according to TMZ.
