NHL responds after player refuses to wear LGBTQ+ jersey due to religious beliefs

18 January 2023 , 23:09

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The Philadelphia Flyers wear the colours to support the LGTBQ+ community (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

The National Hockey League (NHL) has issued a statement after one of its players chose not to wear the pride colours to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Philadelphia Flyers star Ivan Provorov refused to wear the colours as he cited his religious belief, as a Russian Orthodox Christian, with a number of reporters asking him why he would not put on the colours before refusing to go into why, simply stating he respects everybody's choices.

The NHL has now released a statement on the matter, and did not condemn Provorov for his choices. The statement said: "Players are free to decide which initiatives to support, and we continue to encourage their voices and perspectives on social and cultural issues."

Provorov did not warm up with his team who donned the colours, but did later play in the game, as he then spoke to reporters afterwards.

He said: "I respect everybody and I respect everybody's choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That's all I'm going to say."

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A number of reporters attempted to ask further questions, before the 26-year-old shut them down, using the same line before responding: "Did you not hear what I just said? Can you respect that?".

Ivan Provorov refused to wear the colours (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images )

The Flyers head coach, John Tortorella, stated that he did not give it a second thought on whether or not to play Provorov. He said: "It's one thing I respect about Provy. He's always true to himself. And, so, that's where we're at with that."

Speaking prior to the incident, the Flyers released a statement in which they said: "The Philadelphia Flyers organization is committed to inclusivity and is proud to support the LGBTQ+ community.

"Many of our players are active in their support of local LGBTQ+ organizations, and we were proud to host our annual Pride Night again this year. The Flyers will continue to be strong advocates for inclusivity and the LGBTQ+ community."

Charlie Wilson