It was Pride Night for the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday, but one Philadelphia player chose not to participate in the festivities.
Ivan Provorov did not take part in the Flyers’ pregame skate, which saw players wear Pride-themed warmup jerseys and use sticks wrapped with rainbow tape. The defenseman did go on to play in the game, pacing Philadelphia in time on ice in its 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
After the game, Provorov explained why he boycotted the occasion.
“I respect everybody. I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That’s all I’m gonna say,” Provorov told reporters, per a clip shared on Twitter by The Associated Press’ Dan Gelston.
Provorov, the seventh overall pick by the Flyers in the 2015 NHL Draft, identifies as Russian Orthodox.
Philadelphia released the following hollow statement in wake of Provorov’s Pride Night boycott (h/t Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli):
“The Philadelphia Flyers organization is committed to inclusivity and is proud to support the LGBTQ+ community. 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 will continue to be strong advocates for inclusivity and the LGBTQ+ community.”
