‘Remove politics from sports’: GOP senator denounces WNBA plans to promote Black Lives Matter

“The truth is, we need less—not more politics in sports. In a time when polarizing politics is as divisive as ever, sports has the power to be a unifying antidote,” she said in a Tuesday letter to Engelbert, which was obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “And now more than ever, we should be united in our goal to remove politics from sports.”

Loeffler said that allowing political rhetoric on the court “undermines the potential of the sport and sends a message of exclusion.” The league announced that it would be starting the new season shortly and that the kickoff would be “centered around the Black Lives Matter movement.” The NBA has reportedly made similar plans to embrace the movement.

The senator has been frustrating other prominent figures in the WNBA after she spoke out against the Black Lives Matter protests in Atlanta by accusing armed protesters of trying to obtain “mob rule” following the death of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black man who was fatally shot by police after pointing a taser at an officer in a Wendy’s parking lot. Ex-WNBA players, including Sue Bird, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Natasha Cloud, have called for the league to sanction Loeffler over her remarks.

Renee Montgomery, who plays for Loeffler’s team, accused the senator of speaking out against the armed protesters only because they were not white.

“The Second Amendment is a part of the Bill of Rights,” Montgomery said. “The problem some may be having is who is bearing the arms.”

Loeffler responded to criticisms from Montgomery and others by pointing to the “autonomous zones” that have included violence in cities such as Seattle. She noted that innocent people have died in these police-free zones and said she does not want that chaos in Georgia.

“I denounced these zones of violence — for which I have been criticized,” she said. “However, this same group fell silent over the fourth of July weekend when an 8-year-old girl was murdered under the ‘mob rule’ that I warned about days earlier. This is not a political movement that the league should be embracing, and I emphatically oppose it.”

Loeffler noted that she was not consulted by the league over the decision to focus the season on the Black Lives Matter movement. She suggested that each team should have an American flag on their uniform, rather than a divisive political message.

“Though I was not consulted about—nor do I agree with the League’s decision in this matter, I am proposing a common-sense recommendation to ensure we reflect the values of freedom and equality for all. I believe we should put an American flag on every jersey. Include it in our licensed apparel for players, coaches and fans,” Loeffler wrote.

“As our nation battles COVID-19, economic hardship, and the fight to ensure justice for all, we need a unifying rallying point for the American people. I sincerely hope you will consider my proposal. Because if we can’t acknowledge, much less unite behind our flag during this struggle, we’ll never achieve the goals we all want for each other,” she added.

In response to Loeffler’s letter, Engelbert released a statement claiming that the senator is not an active member of the Atlanta Dream. She said the WNBA has no plans to stop its social justice advocacy.

“The WNBA is based on the principle of equal and fair treatment of all people and we, along with the teams and players, will continue to use our platforms to vigorously advocate for social justice. Sen. Kelly Loeffler has not served as a Governor of the Atlanta Dream since October 2019 and is no longer involved in the day-to-day business of the team,” Engelbert said.