Joel Ward will not kneel for the national anthem.
Ward, a right winger for the San Jose Sharks of the NHL, posted a lengthy statement to his Twitter account on Thursday after days of speculation about whether or not he may take a knee in solidarity with NFL players protesting social injustices. Ward is one of roughly 30 black players in the National Hockey League.
“As a black man, I have experienced racism both inside and outside of the sporting world,” Ward wrote. “Make no mistake that racism exists and that people of color are treated differently on a day-to-day basis.”
Kelsey Driscoll 