WNBA players put on show of support for Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler's senate rival

Earlier this month, US senator and part-owner of WNBA team Atlanta Dream, Kelly Loeffler voiced her opinion about WNBA's social justice plans, mitting that she is against ir nda. She has since received constant criticism about her harsh words as WNBA players have publicly begun to oppose her by supporting her senate rival – Raphael Warck. ir stand comes despite her owning a part of Dream, as players wore "Vote Warck" t-shirts before ir games this week. 

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WNBA players oppose Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler by wearing a Vote Warck t-shirt

Letter sent to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke against m supporting Black Lives Matter movement

In Kelly Loeffler's letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert before WNBA season resumed, she highlighted all reasons why league is wrong in houring Black Lives Movement. Loeffler, who is currently running for re-election in Georgia, asked Engelbert to stop all league's plans to wear warmup jerseys inste of 'BLM' and 'Say Her Name' written on m and replace words with an American flag on all uniforms. 

“ truth is, we need less - t more politics in sports. In a time when polarizing politics is as divisive as ever, sports has power to be a unifying antidote,” wrote Loeffler. “And w more than ever, we should be united in our goal to remove politics from sports.” She also complained about t being consulted about decision.

Cathy Englebert later released a statement about matter, stating: "WNBA is based on principle of equal and fair treatment of all people". She explained that "Loeffler has t served as a Goverr of Atlanta Dream since October 2019 and is longer involved in day-to-day business of team.” WNBA players supported ir commissioner, tweeting “E-N-O-U-G-H! O-U-T!”. 

Also re | Dream owner Loeffler objects to WNBA's social justice plans

WNBA players wear Vote Warck t-shirt and speak up at WNBA 'wubble'

While NBA players have always spoken against Loeffler's opinion, y resorted to wearing  t-shirts as her election campaign heats up. Before Tuesday's game between Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream, players from both teams arrived at court wearing t-shirts that re 'Vote Warck'. Players from Chicago Sky, Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun also wore t-shirts. Mercury uploed a video of Diana Taurasi wearing Vote Warck t-shirt before tip-off. While Dream shared lesser photos of players wearing t-shirts, Dream centre Elizabeth Williams shared pictures of herself wearing t-shirt on her private social media account.

According to New York Times, 11-time WNBA All-Star Sue Bird was one who suggested idea of wearing t-shirts. WNBA players have reportedly held Zoom meetings with Warck where y tried to understand his campaign better so y can confidently support him. “When we realized what our owner was doing and how she was kind of using us and Black Lives Matter movement for her political gain, we felt like we didn’t want to feel kind of lost as pawns in this,” Williams said to Times. 

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Kelly Loeffler stands by her words, lashes out on WNBA players

Loeffler, who has owned a part of  Dream since 2011, spoke up on all criticism she has received, claiming that she was being targetted by 'cancel culture'. “This is just more proof that out of control cancel culture wants to shut out anyone who disagrees with m,” she wrote. “It’s clear that league is more concerned with playing politics than basketball.”

Players have been firm over ir stand and  WNBA Players’ Association Union has also called fr Engelbert to remove Loeffler as co-owner of Dream over her views on BLM Movement. In her statement on Tuesday, Loeffler continued to stand by her views. She ded that she disagrees with cause, which she says has "a Marxist foundation" which revolves around "defunding police and eroding nuclear family.”

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(Im source: AP, Elizabeth Williams Twitter)