In today’s News:
Pro football players face restrictions
The National Football League and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) recently announced regulations forbidding players to attend church when a service is more than a quarter full of the faithful. On July 25, NBC Sports reported that the NFL and the NFLPA will restrict players this season from attending indoor church services when attendance is above 25 percent of capacity. In addition, players cannot go to nightclubs, indoor bars (except to pick up food), indoor house parties (with 15 or more people), indoor concerts, or professional sporting events. If players test positive for covid after engaging in prohibited activities, they will not be paid for the games they miss and future guarantees in their contracts will be voided. Although the regulation details have not yet been publicly released, NBC Sports did not mention any restrictions on attending protests.
Athletes reject call to boycott Idaho
Female Olympians, Title IX pioneers, and more than 300 collegiate and professional athletes submitted a letter to the National College Athletic Association Board of Governors Wednesday, urging them to reject a recent call to boycott Idaho for passing its Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. In the letter, the current and former female athletes state they have benefited personally and professionally “from a fair and level playing field” and urge the NCAA to protect the integrity of women’s sports, consistent with the promise and purpose of Title IX. Signers include world-class cyclist Jennifer Wagner-Assali, world-champion track athlete Cynthia Monteleone, and Title IX pioneer and marathon swimmer Sandra Bucha-Kerscher. The coalition supports biology-based eligibility standards for participation in female sports and opposes efforts to bully or boycott the state of Idaho for passing the first state law that prevents males from competing in women’s sports. In May, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of a male athlete seeking to challenge Idaho’s newly enacted law. In June, the ACLU and various female athletes called on the NCAA to boycott Idaho.
Move to fund abortion services
The first bill to repeal a us law preventing aid from funding abortion services overseas was introduced to Congress on Wednesday. Democratic Congressswoman Jan Schakowsky said the Helms Amendment, a policy introduced in 1973, was in her words, “deeply rooted in racism” and must be replaced to allow U.S. money to be used to support safe abortion services worldwide. The new bill is not expected to pass in the short term but is seen as part of a longer-term strategy by Democrats to uphold abortion, which has come under sustained attack from the Trump administration. The bill states that abortion “is a critical component of sexual and reproductive healthcare and should be accessible and affordable for all people” and adds that restricting abortion does not reduce need or numbers. As introduced to Congress on Wednesday. Democratic Congressswoman Jan Schakowsky said the Helms Amendment, a policy introduced in 1973, was in her words, “deeply rooted in racism” and must be replaced to allow U.S. money to be used to support safe abortion services worldwide. The new bill is not expected to pass in the short term but is seen as part of a longer-term strategy by Democrats to uphold abortion, which has come under sustained attack from the Trump administration. The bill states that abortion “is a critical component of sexual and reproductive healthcare and should be accessible and affordable for all people” and adds that restricting abortion does not reduce need or numbers.
