NBA teams take knee in opener; Silver says no sanction
MANILA, Philippines — NBA players, coaches and staff took a knee during the national anthem in the double-header season restart opener in Orlando, Florida on Thursday (Friday, Manila time).
Players, coaches and refs in the Utah Jazz-New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers-Los Angeles Clippers game showed solidarity to the Black Lives Matter movement before their respective games.
#BlackLivesMatter NBA teams took a knee during the national anthem in the first two games of the season restart
— Luisa Morales (@mluisamorales_) July 31, 2020
All players, coaches and refs in the Pelicans-Jazz and the Lakers-Clippers games showed solidarity to the BLM movement (Photos via AFP) | @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/5BJxcmcPwW
This despite the 40-year-old league rule that requires all players, coaches and staff on the court to remain standing during the anthem.
NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum told the media on Wednesday that the league didn't plan on rescinding the rule in the midst of social unrest in the US following the death of black man George Floyd and police brutality.
League commissioner Adam Silver already made a statement that the players would not be sanctioned for the protest action.
Silver also said the aforementioned rule would be waived given the "unique" nature of the ongoing calls for social justice.
Adam Silver issues statement on kneeling during national anthem: “I respect our teams’ unified act of peaceful protest for social justice and under these unique circumstances will not enforce our long-standing rule requiring standing during the playing of our national anthem.”
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 30, 2020
"I respect our teams' unified act of peaceful protest for social justice and under these unique circumstances will not enforce our long-standing rule requiring standing during the playing of our national anthem," he said in a statement.
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