Everton defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles refused to take the knee prior to the Premier League clash with Chelsea.The Toffees star abstained from the pre-match gesture which is part of the Premier League’s ‘No Room For Racism’ initiative.Ainsley Maitland-Niles refused to take the knee before kick off on SaturdayTNT SportOther players from both sides did participate in taking the kneeGettyTaking the knee reverted from a weekly ritual between 2020 and 2022 to a targeted gesture reserved for specific fixtures.It is unclear as to why Maitland-Niles refused to take the knee, although some stars have publicly argued that the move has lost its impact.Before it became a part-time initiative, former Brentford captain Ivan Toney explained why the Bees stopped participating. He said: “We are kind of being used as puppets, in my eyes; take the knee and the people at the top can rest for a while now, which is pretty silly and pretty pointless. Nothing is changing.”This is a developing story and is being updated.For the latest updates, breaking news alerts, and comprehensive analysis, refresh this page or follow our real-time news coverage by watching and listening to talkSPORT live.For broader context, explore related coverage on our homepage for the top trending stories. For the latest talkSPORT videos, download the app.talkSPORT cares about getting it right, not just getting it first and because this is a developing situation, details will change. We will be updating this page constantly with verified info, expert takes, and official statements.Stay tuned for further developments as this story continues to break.