As a basketball enthusiast, I fully understand that trash talking is a huge part of the game. We have witnessed this behavior on the court for decades, with players like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan becoming notorious for their banter. While trash talking may be a part of the game, what is not acceptable is the racial harassment of players.

When Caitlin Clark—a white player from Iowa—made the hand waving motion that many people call the John Cena last week, she was celebrated for her passion and competitive zeal for the game. However, when Angel Reese—a Black player from LSU—made the same motion this week, thousands of fans and public figures took it upon themselves to insult her. Barstool President David Portnoy even went as far as calling her a “Classless piece of sh*t,” while sports commentator Keith Olbermann tweeted, “What a f*cking idiot.” It is disheartening that individuals with significant platforms and millions of followers would use their influence to spread hatred.

These derogatory comments from Portnoy and Olbermann have emboldened thousands of bigots to spew racist comments about Angel and the predominantly Black LSU team overall. We cannot allow this kind of behavior to continue without repercussions. Both Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are incredibly talented young women who have bright futures ahead of them. However, we cannot sit by and watch one be celebrated while the other is persecuted.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. Black women athletes have been held to a different standard than their white counterparts for decades, as evidenced by the mistreatment of Venus and Serena Williams. We must not allow this double standard to continue.

We demand that David Portnoy and Keith Olbermann issue public apologies for their comments. Furthermore, we urge Elon Musk and Twitter to set an example by removing Portnoy and Olbermann from the platform immediately. Please sign this petition to stand against hatred and bigotry in sports.