‘STAY TRUE TO MYSELF’

Russian NHL Player Refuses to Wear Special Pride Night Jersey

The Philadelphia Flyers’ Ivan Provorov claimed a religious exemption.

National Hockey League player Ivan Provorov opted to forego part of the Philadelphia Flyers’ annual Pride Night on Tuesday, skipping warmups over a disagreement on rainbow attire, as well as rainbow-colored sticks and pucks to be auctioned at the end of the night. Provorov claimed a religious exemption, citing being Russian Orthodox. He went on to help his team notch a 5-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks, wearing his usual uniform rather than a jersey with a rainbow number on the sleeve. “I respect everybody. I respect everybody’s choices,” Provorov told reporters. “My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That’s all I’m gonna say.” The money from the auction goes toward the Flyers Charities, helping those “affected by cancer, growing the game, and improving sustainability efforts,” according to the team’s charity site. “Many of our players are active in their support of local LGBTQ+ organizations, and we were proud to host our annual Pride Night again this year,” the Flyers wrote in a statement.