Hockey,
March 28, 1:01 p.m
The NHL gathered to think about the revision of the conduct of LGBT events
The NHL commissioner said the league will assess the feasibility of these moves in the coming offseason. From their essence, according to Gary Bettman, the individual refusals of players to participate are distracted
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Photo: Yifan Ding / NHL via Getty Images
The NHL is set to assess the feasibility of holding Pride Nights in support of LGBT people this season, due to the fact that many players refused to participate in them this season. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told about it. quotes CTV News.
“This is the first time we’ve seen something like this and I think we’ll have to evaluate it in the offseason. One of the problems is that players, for various reasons, may feel uncomfortable in uniform as a sign of support for the LGBT community, ”said Bettman.
According to the commissioner of the NHL, individual failures detract from the essence of these actions. But at the same time, he noted, this decision of the players must be respected.
The Russian explained the omission of the action in the NHL by the law on the ban on LGBT propaganda
As part of Pride Night, NHL players come out to warm up before a regular season game in special rainbow jerseys. Russian Philadelphia Flyers defender Ivan Provorov was the first to refuse to participate in LGBT events in the NHL this season, explaining his decision by the fact that he professes Orthodoxy. For religious reasons, San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer also did not participate in March.
At the end of January, the New York Rangers, where Artemy Panarin and Igor Shesterkin play, abandoned the form in support of LGBT people. In March, the Minnesota Wild did the same. The Athletic then reported that Minnesota abandoned the rainbow uniform for fear of harming Russian players, in particular its main star Kirill Kaprizov.
The Chicago Blackhawks later became the third NHL club to opt out of the promotion. The team explained the decision by concern for the safety of Russian players in connection with the adoption in Russia of a law banning LGBT propaganda.
Last week, Canadian Florida Panthers players Eric and Mark Staal withdrew from the promotion because the uniform with such symbols contradicts their Christian beliefs. And the day before, the Russian defender of the Buffalo Sabers, Ilya Lyubushkin, did not take part in Pride Night, citing the legislation of his country.
