The NHL has banned rainbow tape.
Something that upsets Rasmus Andersson.
– I don’t understand it, says the defender to TSN.
For several years, the NHL has had “Pride Nights” where the league has paid attention to pride and LGBTQI+ rights in connection with matches. Then the players wore warm-up and match shirts with a pride theme and rainbow tape on their clubs.
Andersson’s anger
Last season, there were several players who did not feel comfortable dressing in rainbow colors. Philadelphia Flyers Ivan Provorov was one of them, he referred to his Russian Orthodox faith. The NHL therefore decided to stop rainbow jerseys.
Now the league has also banned rainbow tape. They refer to the rainbow colors and the debate they created and are creating as “a distraction”.
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Calgary Flames Swedish defender Rasmus Andersson has previously spoken out about pride and advocated for LGBTQI+ rights. He is disappointed with the development.
– It sucks, it’s something that is very close to my heart and something I would have liked to support, but it is what it is. We have to find other ways to support it. It’s a sensitive subject for some people, I don’t understand why, but it is, and it’s not just rainbow tape, says Andersson to TSN.
The initiative is stopped
In the same vein, the NHL has also removed ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’, an initiative to raise money for and draw attention to cancer research.
– That is also important in my opinion. So yes, it sucks and we have to find other ways to support. It’s something that’s so natural to me so I don’t really understand it but rules are rules.
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He does not yet know exactly how Andersson will choose to support the issues.
– Good question, it’s something we have to investigate of course. But we will find a way, we will find a way to support, and as I said, it is something close to my heart so it is something I want to support, so we will find a way, he says.
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