Team members of the Cairns Taipans have decided against wearing a special Pride Round jersey in response to a “barrage of abuse and harmful commentary” targeting individual players.
The Australian National Basketball League (NBL) is holding its first Pride Round to celebrate the LGBT community from Jan. 25 to 30, with Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger conceding that the move would “conflict with some people’s beliefs.”
“Regardless, we will continue to work together to support each other, and we will always respect that people may have different views, opinions and values to ours,” he said in a statement.
The Champion’s Pride Progress flag x ‘C’ logo is seen ahead of NBL inaugural Pride Round during the round 17 NBL match between South East Melbourne Phoenix and Cairns Taipans at State Basketball Centre in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 25, 2023. (Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
Days later, the Taipans—based in north Queensland, Australia—released a statement on Facebook saying it would not take part in the event….