Days after a professional hockey player refused to participate in his team’s “Pride night” event, the league is still debating whether the player, who cited his faith to explain his decision, did something wrong.
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov created the controversy when he sat out pregame warmups ahead of a Tuesday night match against the Anaheim Ducks.
He later explained that his absence stemmed from the fact that he did not want to wear the Pride-themed warmup jerseys or use the rainbow-colored stick tape provided to Flyers players as part of the team’s “Pride night” festivities.
“I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That’s all I’m going to say,” Provorov told reporters after the game, according to The Associated Press.
Despite his absence during warmups, Provorov was allowed to play in the game, which angered many observers, including some hockey reporters. His critics questioned why the team would allow Provorov’s concerns about “Pride night” to overshadow the important message of the event.
Provorov’s actions “turned (the team’s) entire night — complete with a blowout 5-2 victory — into a shell of its intended self and an embarrassing episode,” argued Charlie O’Connor in a column for The Athletic.
Another hockey journalist went so far as to accuse the player of hiding behind his faith.
“Provorov obviously does not respect ‘everyone.’ If he did respect everyone, he would have taken part in warm-up and worn the Pride Night jersey. Don’t hide behind religion,” tweeted Pierre LeBrun, who also writes for The Athletic.
Many of Provorov’s critics drew a distinction between asking players to embrace a political message by, for example, kneeling during the national anthem and asking players to express support for a marginalized community on “Pride night.”
Provorov’s decision was offensive because of how little he had been asked to do, argued Marcus Hayes in a column for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Warming up in a jersey with rainbow numbers and nameplates simply supported the right of LGBTQ+ people all over the world to exist without persecution. For anyone, that’s pretty simple,” he wrote.
Provorov’s supporters, including his head coach, interpret the situation very differently. Flyers coach John Tortorella has repeatedly said that the defenseman shouldn’t be attacked for staying true to himself.
“Provy did nothing wrong,” the coach said Thursday, according to The Athletic. “Just because you don’t agree with his decision, doesn’t mean he did anything wrong.”
He added that he was “proud” of the team for staying unified during the controversy. Players took part in a meeting after “Pride night” to discuss their varying views on the event, Tortorella said.
“It’s a very important social matter … and I thought our guys handled themselves very well,” he said.
Other Provorov supporters have taken to Twitter to criticize the “radical woke mob” for coming after him. Many praised the Flyers player for standing up for his beliefs.
In the days since the Flyers’ “Pride night,” Provorov’s jersey has sold out on Fanatics and NHL Shop, the Washington Examiner reported.