(Updated November 23, 2019) Retired English professional footballer Jamie Redknapp has praised vegan documentary “The Game Changers.”
Redknapp — the son of football manager and former player Harry Redknapp — posted an image of “The Game Changers” title to his Instagram Story.
He captioned the post, “this is one of the best documentaries I have seen in a while.”
The 2018 vegan documentary “The Game Changers” is now available to stream on Netflix. It follows elite special forces trainer James Wilks, as he travels the world on a quest to find out the truth “behind the world’s most dangerous myth:” that meat is necessary for protein.
Produced by Academy Award-winning director James Cameron, “The Game Changers” features around a dozen plant-powered athletes. Co-producers include Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, tennis star Serena Williams, action film star Jackie Chan, and former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger.
According to Wilks, many athletes are trying to switch to a plant-based diet due to the health benefits. He told LIVEKINDLY, “athletes are in touch with their bodies in a way many ‘regular’ people aren’t. Many of them tell us that they can feel animal foods increasing inflammation and slowing them down.”
“It’s pretty cool to hear so many athletic men and women backing up the science with their own personal experiences,” he added.
Footballers Ditch Meat
Redknapp isn’t alone in his openness to plant-based living. Many footballers are embracing vegan diets. Fabian Delph, Sergio Agüero, and Lionel Messi all follow plant-based diets, as does Manchester United player Chris Smalling.
Smalling told the Telegraph in 2018 that he felt better after ditching animal products and the lifestyle change helped his tendinitis. “Red meat causes a lot of [inflammation] and when I was cutting that down, the tendinitis started to go.”
He added, “It used to be a problem in terms of warm-ups because getting going was a bit of a nightmare. My tendinitis has got better and better.”
Clubs are also supportive of the lifestyle. Manchester City recently made Nestlé its official vegan and vegetarian partner. The company’s plant-based Garden Gourmet burger and YES! fruit bars will be added to matchday food menus at the Etihad and Academy stadiums.
Embracing Sustainability
Redknapp isn’t just conscious of his diet. He’s also conscious about what he wears. The former footballer and model recently launched Sandbanks, a sustainable, cruelty-free fashion brand. The brand has opted to use faux fur and Ecodown, in a bid to save “millions of animals” from exploitation. It also uses recycled materials made from plastic bottles.
The brand says on its website, “Sandbanks was born from a desire to help combat environmental challenges we all face.” Its first capsule collection is available to buy now.
Redknapp is also conscious about plastic pollution. He recently opened Sky HQ’s Sky Ocean Rescue Cafe, which is entirely plastic-free. The former footballer supports the #PassOnPlastic campaign. He said in a statement, “my own kids talk to me all the time about the impact plastic is having on our oceans, which has made me want to make changes and I hope the cafe inspires others to do the same.”
