“The Pendulum has swung a bit too far”, Elon Musk hits out on media condemning Ivan Provorov’s decision not to participate in the pre-game warmup to support Pride Night
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In last Tuesday’s NHL game, Philadelphia Flyers’ Ivan Provorov did not participate in the pre-game skate, where players wore Pride-themed jerseys and hockey sticks wrapped in Pride tape. The Flyers defenceman stated his reasons for his actions, stating that it would go against his religious beliefs to participate in the pre-game warmup.
Provorov is a Russian Orthodox Christian who did not mean to offend anyone through his actions. Citing his reasons, 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.”
Following this incident, the media quickly scrutinized Provorov’s actions and questioned him. Several journalists, such as Charlie O’Connor of the Athletic, have condemned this action and called it an ’embarrassing episode.’ However, others, such as Gord Miller, have taken a stand for Ivan Provorov and have stated that he had a right to refuse and exercise his actions.
Twitter CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has also commented on the same through a Tweet. When NHL analyst E.J. Hradek severely condemned Provorov in the NHL Now show, Elon Musk quickly took his stand against such propositions and stood by the Flyers defenceman’s actions. The NHL community is divided on whether Provprov’s actions were part of exercising his rights or if it was prejudiced.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk reacts to the controversy surrounding Ivan Provorov boycotting NHL Rainbow Jersey
The Tuesday night NHL game was controversial when Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Ivan Provorov refused to participate in the pre-game warmup. The defenceman was uncomfortable wearing Rainbow-themed jerseys for Pride Night, which celebrated the LGBTQ+ community. Stating his religious beliefs, Provorov remained on the bench while everyone else participated in the pre-game skate.
Provorov is a Russian Orthodox Christian wherein homosexuality is considered unholy and a sin. While the Russian defenceman did not mean to hurt anyone’s feelings or sentiments, he wanted to protect his religious beliefs without affecting anyone else’s.
The media quickly noticed his actions and have already started scrutinizing the NHL player. Analyst E.J. Hradek brutally condemned the player in the NHL Now show, asking him to leave the country. He said, “Ivan Provorov can get on a plane any day he wants and go back to a place where he feels more comfortable, take less money and get on with his life that way if it’s that problematic for him.”
One user on Twitter, quoting a video of Hradek’s comments, writes, “The gay movement, in about 7 years, went from ‘equal rights!’ to ‘go f***ing die in a trench war if you don’t wear a pride shirt!” Responding to this tweet, Elon Musk replies, “The pendulum has swung a bit too far.”
This is not the first time a sportsperson faced slack for standing by their religious beliefs and values. Soccer player Idrissa Gueye, who once played for the French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain, faced intense criticism and scrutiny for refusing to wear a rainbow-themed jersey last season. While everyone in the media harshly criticized the player, the Senegalese international was backed by his country’s president and former PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino for his beliefs and actions.
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Siddid Dey Purkayastha
(528 Articles Published)