Among the highlights in Philadelphia was playing with rainbow colors during the joint warm-up on the ice. But Russian star Ivan Provorov did not want to take part as his team was to wear kits with pride symbols and rainbow numbers. – I choose to be true to myself, says the Russian in a video interview shared on Twitter. – It is the dead of night. It just shows how screwed up someone is. WE live in 2023, as it were, says former NHL player Espen “Shampo” Knutsen to news. PRIDE NIGHT: It was “pride-night” in the match between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night. Photo: TIM NWACHUKWU / AFP Getting support from the coach At regular intervals, the American ice hockey league (NHL) organizes evenings where pride is the theme. They do this to highlight the importance of inclusion and to show that LGBT+ groups must be respected. Provorov, who did not want to take part in any marking, played the entire game for the home team Philadelphia Flyers, who won 5-2 against the Anaheim Ducks. REACTS: Former NHL player and Vålerenga coach Espen “Shampo” Knutsen. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB The Russian coach, John Tortorella, who has previously benched players who have not sung the national anthem, supports his player. – I respect that he is true to himself, and I had no plans not to let him play the match, he says according to Aftonbladet. – For my own part, it might have been okay if he didn’t want to play the match, says Knutsen. – Complete scandal Provorov also says that he “respects everyone and respects other people’s choices”, but that he wants to be faithful to his Russian Orthodox religion. It has caused several hockey profiles to react. – But Provorov obviously does not respect everyone. If he had respected everyone, he would have attended the warm-up and put on the “pride night” suit. Don’t hide behind religion, writes The Athletic’s hockey expert Pierre Lebrun to his over 800,000 followers on Twitter. GET CRITICISM: Russian Ivan Provorov. Photo: DARRYL DYCK / AP NHL commentator Gord Miller believes, like Knutsen, that the Russian should not have played the game against the Anaheim Ducks. – Ivan Provorov had every right not to participate in the “pride night” celebrations in Philadelphia. But “The Flyers” should have responded by not letting him play the game. Freedom of speech does not give you the freedom to escape the consequences of your words, he writes. – Ivan Provorov was allowed to play in a game for the Philadelphia Flyers, the team that first said that you will be removed from the arena if you express homophobia, after refusing to use a pride symbol in the warm-up. What a complete scandal, writes NHL journalist for SBNation Steph Driver. Knutsen agrees with Miller that Provorov is wrong when he says he respects everyone. – Of course he doesn’t. He does not respect the direction of people. That says most about him as a person, says the former NHL pro.
ttn-69
– Complete scandal – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
