In the aftermath of the numerous police-related shootings, WNBA players from the Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury all wore pro-Black Lives Matter t-shirts during warmups at recent games.
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In a statement released to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), WNBA president Lisa Borders explained the league was proud of the players for speaking out but expected them to adhere to the WNBA’s uniform policies while doing so. I don’t see any difference in this matter.
The T-shirts initially stoked controversy including four police officers leaving their off-duty jobs as security guards to a Minnesota Lynx game because they took offense to what they felt was anti-police rhetoric.
In an interview with the Indy Star on Tuesday, Indiana Fever veteran Tamika Catchings said it was hard to follow the uniform rules – which require uniforms not be altered in any way – but said it was important for the players’ voices to be heard.
“I don’t see why there would be a reason for those ladies to get fined”, Anthony said, via the NY Daily News.
“Our weeklong schedule of All-Star events and activities is meant to be a global celebration of basketball, our league, and the values for which we stand”, said the NBA in a statement.
Typical WNBA fines for technical fouls or such are about half the $500 amount the players were fined for wearing the black shirts. Instead of continuing to break the uniform code, WNBA players are protesting with a media blackout and turning their warm up shirts inside out. Back in 2014, Cleveland Cavaliers players LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, as well as some Brooklyn Nets players, wore T-shirts that read “I Can’t Breathe” in the wake of the death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who was killed by police in New York City.
Just as the NBA itself made a statement regarding one of the biggest social issues facing the United States today, it’s counterpart in the women’s professional basketball ranks is attempting to mute its players’ activism.
WNBA teams have continued their protests after being fined for showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and the slain Dallas police officers.
Typical WNBA fines for technical fouls or such are about half the $500 amount the players were fined for wearing the black shirts. “We don’t want to let anybody silence us in what we want to talk about.It’s unfortunate that the WNBA has fined us and not supported its players”.
“My preference would be that players adhere to our uniform rules, both in the National Basketball Association and the WNBA”.
“There’s a lot of stuff going on around the world and we just didn’t want to have anything on the shirt that may cause a raucous”, said veteran forward Erlana Larkins.
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“Now, as athletes, it’s on us to challenge each other to do even more than what we already do in our own communities”.
