{"id":20605,"date":"2022-07-20T21:59:57","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T21:59:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/npoy-aliyah-boston-declines-espns-espys-invite-that-arrived-late-under-pressure-disrespect\/"},"modified":"2022-07-20T21:59:57","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T21:59:57","slug":"npoy-aliyah-boston-declines-espns-espys-invite-that-arrived-late-under-pressure-disrespect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/npoy-aliyah-boston-declines-espns-espys-invite-that-arrived-late-under-pressure-disrespect\/","title":{"rendered":"NPOY Aliyah Boston declines ESPN’s ESPYs invite that arrived late, under pressure: ‘Disrespect’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Aliyah Boston said no to ESPN.<\/p>\n

The South Carolina women’s basketball star who won a national championship and was named unanimous National Player of the Year and Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2022 has declined an invitation from the network to appear at the ESPY Awards, its annual summer showcase ceremony awarding top athletes , teams and moments from the sports year.<\/p>\n

Boston turned down the invitation that arrived after she was initially not included among the nominated athletes invited to the ceremony scheduled for Wednesday night in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Boston: ‘Another moment’ of ‘disrespect’<\/h2>\n

She addressed her decision in a statement released Wednesday morning<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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“To be nominated for an ESPY this year meant the world to me and my family,” Boston wrote. “While it hurt finding out that they wouldn’t be televising the category despite it being televised last year, and had no intentions for me to attend. \u2026 it hurt more to see ESPN change course and invite me only after social media caught want of Respectfully, I declined.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI’m used to this. It’s just another moment when the disrespect and erasure of Black women is brushed off as a \u201cmistake\u201d or an \u201coversight.\u201d Another excuse for why our milestones and accomplishments aren’t a \u201cpriority\u201d this time, even now, 50 years after Title IX.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cTo every Black girl and every Black woman: no one can take away what God has in store for us. You matter. You are valuable. You are a priority. You are seen, and you are LOVED \u2014 don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Why wasn’t Boston initially invited?<\/h2>\n

Boston is nominated in the Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports category alongside Florida State soccer player Jaelin Howell, Oklahoma softball player Jocelyn Alo and Boston College lacrosse player Charlotte North. Hello was invited as a nominee in the Best Team and Best Record-Breaking Performance categories, but the other three nominees including Boston were not initially invited. Neither were the nominees in the corresponding men’s sports category.<\/p>\n