Ivan Provorov jerseys sell out days after NHL player refuses to wear LGBT pride jersey
Luke Gentile
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Jerseys for Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov have sold out online days after the 26-year-old refused to wear a gay pride-themed jersey for religious reasons.
Both NHL Shop and Fanatics have listed Provorov’s jerseys as “almost gone,” and there are no longer any men’s jerseys with his name and number available.
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On Fanatics, the defenseman is listed as having the most popular men’s jersey, women’s jersey, and sweatshirt, and his Branded Backer shirt is being advertised as the most popular seller related to the Philadelphia Flyers, according to the online store.
Provorov was blasted by legacy media outlets for refusing to wear an LGBT-themed warm-up jersey during his team’s Tuesday night game against the Anaheim Ducks.
“I respect everybody. I respect everybody’s choices,” the hockey player said following the match.
Provorov told reporters pushing the issue that he is Russian Orthodox, and he did not wear the jersey for religious reasons.
“My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion,” Provorov said.
Several journalists attacked the Russian-native for his decision.
“Nothing scares me more than any human being who says, ‘I’m not doing this because of my religious beliefs,'” Canadian anchor Sid Seixeiro said. “Because when you looked at people’s lives who normally say that [publicly], you’d throw up at what you saw. … Don’t feed me the religious beliefs line.”
Seixeiro then suggested that the NHL fine the Flyers organization $1 million.
Greg Wyshynski, a senior hockey writer for ESPN, appeared to share Seixeiro’s sentiment.
“Of course, Ivan Provorov is more than happy to play pregame dress-up when it does align with his belief system,” he tweeted along with a picture of a military appreciation jersey Provorov wore in 2021.
Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella defended his player’s decision following the game.
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Tortorella respected Provorov for being “true to himself and to his religion,” he said.
“It’s one thing I respect about Provy,” the Flyers coach said. “He’s always true to himself.”