Matt Dumba becomes the first NHL player to kneel for social justice

On Saturday August 1, Matt Dumba became the first National Hockey League player to kneel during the US National Anthem for social justice causes.

The Minnesota Wild defenseman knelt during Saturday’s game between Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks while wearing a Hockey Diversity Alliance hoodie with “Black Lives Matter” written on the sleeves. Dumba, who is Canadian, stood for the Canadian anthem.

“For those unaffected by systemic racism, or unaware, I’m sure that some of you believe this topic has garnered too much attention during the last couple of months. But let me assure you, it has not,” Dumba said prior to kneeling. “Racism is everywhere — and we need to fight against it.”

Dumba is not on either of the teams that played Saturday. He is part of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, an organization formed in June consisting of seven former and current NHL players. The organization’s mission is to “eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey,” according to the NHL.

“I know why I knelt and it wasn’t a sign of disrespect by any means,” Dumba said on a conference call with reporters Sunday, according to Sportsnet. “It was to shed light on the people who’ve lived through injustice and oppression, especially in my home state of Minnesota.”

“I know first-hand, as a minority playing of the great game of hockey, the unexplainable and difficult challenges that come with it,” Dumba said.