Sixers apologize for booting 'We Matter' anthem singer
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[October 29, 2016]
By Frank Pingue
(Reuters) - The NBA's Philadelphia
76ers apologized on Friday for a last-minute decision to deny a
recording artist from singing the U.S. national anthem at their
season opener this week because she was wearing a "We Matter"
jersey.
Sevyn Streeter said the team told her only moments before she was
scheduled to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" that she could not take
the court because of her shirt. A member of the 76ers' dance team
went on to sing the anthem.
"We are sorry that this happened. After receiving feedback from our
players, basketball operations staff and ownership group, we believe
that the wrong decision was made, and Sevyn should have been
welcomed to sing," the Sixers said in a statement.
"We apologize to her, and in an effort to move the conversation
forward, we have reached out to offer her an opportunity to return
and perform at a game of her choice. We are waiting to hear back."
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The Sixers initially declined to say why Streeter did not perform on
Wednesday, saying only that the team encourages meaningful actions
to drive social change.
"We use our games to bring people together, to build trust and to
strengthen our communities," the team said in a separate statement.
"As we move from symbolic gestures to action, we will continue to
leverage our platform to positively impact our community."
Last week ahead of a preseason game between the Sixers and host
Miami Heat, a woman performing the national anthem did so while
kneeling at center court with a "Black Lives Matter" shirt
underneath an opened jacket.
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![](../images/102916pics/sports57.jpg)
Singer Sevyn Streeter attends Essence Magazine's 5th Annual Black
Women in Music reception in West Hollywood, California January 22,
2014. REUTERS/Jonathan Alcorn
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Protests during the national anthem have been a hot-button issue in
recent months, starting with the decision by National Football
League quarterback Colin Kaepernick to not stand for its playing.
Kaepernick has cited racial injustice and police brutality among the
reasons for his protest, and many athletes from other sports have
since followed his lead in various ways, including linking arms
during the anthem.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Andrew Both)
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