NEW YORK (LifeSiteNews) — The National Hockey League (NHL) has rescinded the ban on “Pride Tape,” caving to the demands of the LGBT mob and leftist activists.
On October 24, NHL Public Relations announced that they have lifted the ban on “Pride Tape” used to wrap hockey sticks during official games, warmups, and practices just weeks after it was originally implemented.
“After consultation with the NHL Players’ Association and the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition, Players will now have the option to voluntarily represent social causes with their stick tape throughout the season,” NHL Public Relations declared.
READ: Catholic baseball player appears to read Scripture before taking the mound in decisive win
In early October, NHL implemented the ban, stating that, “Players shall not be put in the position of having to demonstrate (or where they may be appearing to demonstrate) personal support for any Special Initiatives.”
The decision to rescind the ban comes after major backlash from LGBT activists. Similarly, the U.K.’s Daily Mail exclaimed that by banning “Pride Tape,” the NHL had made a move “to erase visible support for LGBTQ+ people.”
NHL’s decision also comes on the heels of Arizona Coyotes player Travis Dermott’s disregard for the ban during an October 21 game, where he sported a small amount of “Pride Tape” on the top part of his stick.
He later spoke to The Athletic, claiming “the league’s taking away our voice” with the ban.
While the new policy is framed as being “inclusive,” the NHL’s new policy does not protect players who will feel social pressure to don the “Pride Tape” for fear of bringing down the ire of the LGBT mob.
However, those players would not be unsupported, as unlike other professional sports, hockey has shown an unusually strong resistance to the woke agenda.
READ: Two women damaged by ‘gender transitions’ sue prominent pro-transgender doctors
According to the Daily Caller, the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, and Minnesota Wild all decided to not host “Pride Night” games last season.
The most high-profile instance of a player refusing to bow to the LGBT agenda was Ivan Provorov of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Provorov, who is now with the Columbus Blue Jackets, set off a flurry of anti-Christian commentary in the sports world for citing his Russian Orthodox beliefs as to why he sat out pregame warmups that would’ve required him to wear a rainbow-colored jersey.
Provorov’s coach with the Flyers, John Tortorella, stood by him, as did NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who has been at the helm of the NHL since 1993, making him the longest-serving commissioner in major professional U.S. sports.
The NHL might not have to worry about the hand wringing by radically pro-LGBT media: After taking his very public stand against wearing the rainbow-colored jersey, Provorov’s jersey immediately sold out online.