NASCAR has decided to ban the flying of Confederate flags at all racing events in the future.

The sport, which is incredibly popular in parts of America, said that the flag was an emotionally charged symbol of the past and doesn’t represent current values.

In a statement, NASCAR said: “The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.

“Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.”

The flag was a regular appearance at some events as fans would hoist it alongside other insignias.

The news will be particularly welcomed by NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, who has been campaigning for the removal of any sign of the Confederacy for more than a year.

He told CNN that, in the wake of George Floyd’s death, now was the best time to have a frank conversation about the meaning around the flag and its place at NASCAR events.

Wallace was asked about ways to stamp out racism from the sport and he had a simple answer.

“My next step would be to get rid of all Confederate flags. There should be no individual that is uncomfortable showing up to our events to have a good time with their family that feels some type of way about…an object they have seen flying.

“No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race. So it starts with Confederate flags. Get them out of here. They have no place for them.

“The narrative on that before, I wasn’t bothered by it, but I don’t speak for everybody else, I speak for myself.

“What I am chasing is checkered flags. That was kind of my narrative, but diving more into it and educating myself, people feel uncomfortable about that, people talk about that. That’s the first thing they bring up.

“There’s going to be a lot of angry people that carry those flags proudly, but it’s time for change. We have to change that. I encourage NASCAR, and we will have those conversations.”