Athletes protest police shooting of Jacob Blake by refusing to play

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 27: The Black Lives Matter logo is seen on an empty court as all NBA playoff games were postponed today during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 27, 2020 in Lake Buen

Marketplace

A wave of athlete protests against the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has gained momentum. Blake, a Black man, was shot in the back by police seven times as he tried to enter his car.

In protest, the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks decided to not attend their playoff game. Other teams across the sports world have joined in solidarity. Three WNBA games, three Major League Baseball games and five Major League Soccer games were called off. Tennis star Naomi Osaka said she would not play in the Western & Southern Open semifinals Thursday, and matches have been put on pause until Friday.

Kenneth Shropshire, professor of global sport and CEO at the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University, spoke with “Marketplace Morning Report” host Sabri Ben-Achour about this.

Full clip here.

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