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NBA players’ actions for social change on historical par with 1968 Olympics and Ali | Commentary

Orlando Sentinel | August 30, 2020

Related Topics: National Basketball Association, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, National Basketball Players Association, 1968 Summer Olympics, Basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics, John Carlos, Tommie Smith, National Hockey League

I am so proud of the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association for following the lead of the Milwaukee Bucks in deciding not to play Wednesday’s playoff game against the Orlando Magic because of the racial nightmare reignited by the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

This may be the most important social justice statement by sports in half a century. The decision will go down in history with John Carlos and Tommie Smith on the victory stand in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and with Muhammad Ali’s refusal to fight in Vietnam.

Richard E. Lapchick is the chairman of the DeVos Sport Business Management Program at UCF. He is also president of the National Consortium for Academics and Sport. - Original Credit: Courtesy of Richard E. Lapchick - Original Source: Orlando Sentinel
Richard E.
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