Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney says he no longer sings ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ as the governing body reviews the song’s use by England fans.
Sweeney said it would be “very difficult” to ban the song, which has links with slavery.
Instead, the RFU will focus on “education and awareness”.
“I used to sing it a lot in the 70s, I won’t sing it anymore,” Sweeney said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly.
“I personally would choose not to sing it. If there was somebody next to me singing it then I wouldn’t look at them and think they were racist.
“I would think they don’t feel it’s an issue. You need a bit of common sense and a bit of responsibility here.”
On Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he did not think the song – whose lyrics are displayed around Twickenham stadium – should be banned.
Former rugby league and union wing Martin Offiah, who was playing during the song’s first known use at Twickenham in 1987, has welcomed the RFU review but does not want it banned either.
Sweeney added: “The way to go about it is education and awareness. It’s very difficult to ban a song when you’ve got 82,000 people in a stadium and you say you’re not allowed to sing this song.
“If anything we think that might make it even more divisive because you’ll get really strong points of view either side. So we think the way to go is education, awareness, understanding the origins of the song and you make a choice whether you think it’s appropriate to sing it or not.”
It is thought Swing Low, Sweet Chariot was written in the mid-19th century by Wallace Willis, who was a black slave.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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