The WNBA has finally comes to its senses. The league’s president, Lisa Borders, rescinded the fines given to players who were protesting police brutality—with some even wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts.
Borders issued a statement on Saturday (July 23).
“While we expect players to comply with league rules and uniform guidelines, we also understand their desire to use their platform to address important societal issues,” reads part of the statement. “Given that the league will now be suspending play until August 26 for the Olympics, we plan to use this time to work with our players and their union on ways for the players to make their views known to their fans and the public.”
Couldn’t this have been done without fining players? It’s also troubling that Borders is a Black woman, but nevertheless imposed the fines, which were $500 per player and $5,000 per team, and pinned to not following uniform guidelines.
Mind you, WNBA players are not making close to the type of salaries their NBA counterparts bring in. Nevertheless, they weren’t having it.
“After seeing the African-American male shot three times after helping an autistic person out this morning in Florida, I knew I couldn’t be silent,” Tina Charles of the New York Liberty told ESPN. “Knowing the player I am representing this organization, if anybody was going to wear it, it had to be me. I have no problem wearing this shirt inside out for the rest of the season until we are able to have the WNBA support us.”
Some teams even held media blackouts (no pun) until they got support. Mission accomplished.
See photos of WNBA players refusing to be silences on the following pages. Props.
https://twitter.com/WNBAPrez/status/756972302814760960
https://www.instagram.com/p/BINqQp1APRX/?taken-by=breezyyy14&hl=en
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Photo: Instagram
