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Missouri holds team meeting on player strike, university president releases statement
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University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe has issued a statement in response to the massive on-campus boycott calling for his dismissal:
Official statement from @UMPrez/@umsystem: pic.twitter.com/XKBYCtEAa6
— Ashley Jost (@ajost) November 8, 2015
Members of Missouri’s athletic department met with several players for more than an hour on Sunday to discuss the ongoing campus, initiated as an effort to dethrone Wolfe due to ongoing racial tension.
The Legion of Black Collegians said Saturday in a statement that black football players won’t participate in any “football-related” activities” until Wolfe “resigns or is removed due to his negligence toward marginalized students’ experiences.”
RELATED: Comprehensive list of demands from Mizzou protestors
Several notable Missouri players tweeted in support of #ConcernedStudent1950 including starters Charles Harris and tailback Russell Hansbrough:
Mizzou Football is United. No racial division amongst US. — Charles Harris (@AO1_Charles) November 8, 2015
Never thought I would be in place or time like this to actually make a difference. — Russell Hansbrough (@imthatnike) November 8, 2015
After meeting, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel sent out this tweet in support of his players:
The Mizzou Family stands as one. We are united. We are behind our players. #ConcernedStudent1950 GP pic.twitter.com/fMHbPPTTKl — Coach Gary Pinkel (@GaryPinkel) November 8, 2015
Jon Solomon of CBS Sports reported that Ramogi Human, president of the National College Players Association, supports the players’ decision to strike:
NCPA president Ramogi Huma, who wasn’t involved in organizing Missouri boycott, says he supports the boycott 100%. — Jon Solomon (@JonSolomonCBS) November 8, 2015
Ramogi Huma on Missouri boycott: “College athletes shouldn’t feel obligated to play for a university that blames victims for crimes.” — Jon Solomon (@JonSolomonCBS) November 8, 2015
Missouri governor Jay Nixon said this about the protests:
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on the protests at the University of Missouri #abc17 pic.twitter.com/LJrb6WHKhl — Austin Kim (@AustinKKim) November 8, 2015
Former Missouri wide receiver T.J. Moe, who is white, has been vocal about the situation at his university. He published a series of tweets this weekend about his experience at Missouri and says the racism that exists on campus didn’t make its way into football facility, at least not during his career:
Inside the locker room, there was never a time at Mizzou that I observed any racial tension. We were best friends. Bet it’s the same now. — T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) November 8, 2015
This isn’t a locker room issue for Mizzou. This is a group of individuals supporting a protest against things that happened on campus. — T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) November 8, 2015
I was asked this morning by @bomani_jones how I would help change if it wasn’t by sitting the game. Here’s my answer pic.twitter.com/u3W1Fh4InZ — T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) November 8, 2015
Players have not yet decided if the strike will continue and affect the rest of the season:
Talked to one Missouri FB player: “We REALLY want to play. But some of us feel this could be one of the most important things we ever do.” — Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko) November 8, 2015
