WASHINGTON (US) – After boycotting games to protest against racial injustice in the wake of the incidents that took place in Kenosha, NBA players said they would resume the playoffs on Saturday. This comes with a deal allowing increased access to voting in the presidential election, said the league and players association (NBPA).
Players boycotted the game for three days as part of protests sparked by the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, leaving him paralysed. This led to cancellation of other sporting events.
As per the deal, the NBA and all its players will form a coalition focussing on access to voting, promoting civic engagement and calling for criminal justice reform and meaningful policing.
“These commitments follow months of close collaboration around designing a safe and healthy environment to restart the NBA season, providing a platform to promote social justice, as well as creating an NBA Foundation focused on economic empowerment in the Black community,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts said in a statement.
“We look forward to the resumption of the playoffs and continuing to work together – in Orlando and in all NBA team markets – to push for meaningful and sustainable change.”
It all started with the Milwaukee Bucks refusing to take the court for Game Five of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
Team members of Bucks said they could not focus on the game with all the demonstrations going on in Kenosha which is 40 miles south of Milwaukee.
When they refused to enter the court, the NBA postponed all three games on Wednesday and three the following day.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.