NBA commissioner Adam Silver is supporting the right of freedom of expression exercised by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey; this after Chinese state TV broadcaster CCTV announced on Tuesday it would not televise NBA games played this week involving the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets.
CCTV pointed to Silver when announcing it pulled the plug on this week’s broadcasts, saying in a statement: “We’re strongly dissatisfied and oppose Adam Silver’s claim to support Morey’s right to freedom of expression. We believe that any remarks that challenge national sovereignty and social stability are not within the scope of freedom of speech.”
Morey sparked a firestorm by posting a comment via Twitter last week: “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.” Morey later deleted the post and tweeted an apology.
Editorial credit: TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock.com