CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Blackhawks have decided players will not be wearing rainbow-colored Pride jerseys on Pride Night Sunday during warmups - and the Chicago Gay Hockey Association says "it's a step backwards."
The Blackhawks have nixed the plan for players to wear Pride jerseys, reportedly out of concern for the safety of players who have ties to Russia, where a new law bans so-called "gay propaganda."
"We don't want to put any players or their families at risk or in harm's way. That's obviously well understood," said Andrew Sobotka, president of the Chicago Gay Hockey Association.
He said it's still disappointing though.
"Seeing the players wear the rainbow logo is huge for LGBTQ kids growing up who want to be hockey players," Sobotka pointed out.
"It feels like a loss, and when it comes from around the world and is as complex as Putin being involved - it seems like we are losing to them in that regard."
Sobotka said a Gay Hockey Association teammate created the design that would've been on the Blackhawks' Pride Night jerseys.
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