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WNBA Rescinds Fines For Players, Teams Over Black Warmup Shirts

The WNBA is "withdrawing its fines for teams and players that showed support of citizens and police involved in recent shootings by wearing black warmup shirts before games." WNBA President Lisa Borders in a statement yesterday said that the league was "rescinding penalties" given to the Indiana Fever, N.Y. Liberty, Phoenix Mercury and their players "for wearing the shirts." Each team "was fined $5,000 and players were each given a $500 penalty" (AP, 7/23). WNBPA Dir of Operations Terri Jackson in a statement said, "We look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue with the league to ensure that the players' desire to express themselves will continue to be supported" (WNBPA).

ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said of some WNBA players refusing to take basketball questions in protest of the fines: "If I were the commissioner of the WNBA, I don't care about T-shirts. ... I can't have my basketball players refusing to talk about basketball. … This is a league that’s in trouble. Franchises relocate on a regular basis, attendance in last season was lower than it had ever been." Kornheiser: "If you want to make your product viable as a basketball league ... don't refuse to talk about basketball" (“PTI,” ESPN, 7/22).

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