Source: Tim Clayton – Corbis / Getty
Last night the sports world was forced to bow down to something greater than itself. The Milwaukee Bucks set off the falling of dominoes that saw Major League Baseball and the WNBA also call off their games in order to bring attention to the killing and shooting of Black people at the hands of police. It was a historic day the likes of which America has never seen before. The message of Black Lives Matter has permeated the country’s psyche and every facet of society. If you’re one of those “stick to” people then you’re about to live a miserable life because “stick to” is over unless you are Jemele Hill or Cari Champion.
In addition to the athletes in professional sports leagues boycotting games, athletes in solo sports are also making it known what side of the line they stand. 22-year-old tennis icon Naomi Osaka announced that she would not be entertaining largely white fans with her talents in the upcoming Western & Southern Open Semi-Final that was scheduled for today.
Naomi’s move, in addition to the growing pressure from other leagues, led to the tournament releasing the following statement via ESPN:
“As a sport, tennis is collectively taking a stance against racial inequality and social injustice that once again has been thrust to the forefront in the United States,” a statement from the USTA, ATP and WTA said. “The USTA, ATP Tour, and WTA have decided to recognize this moment in time by pausing play at the Western & Southern Open on Thursday, August 27. Play will resume on Friday, August 28.”
Kudos to Naomi and all the players who said “enough is enough” and withheld their talents from the eyes of Amerikkka.
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