Sidney Crosby FINALLY releases a statement and speaks out against racism

San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane called for Sidney Crosby and other high-profile athletes to speak out against racism in the wake of the killing of of George Floyd in Minneapolis, as well as other racial injustices. And FINALLY, on Wednesday morning, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain managed to find the words to show his support and desire to get educated and help make a difference. 

“What happened to George Floyd cannot be ignored,” Crosby said via a statement released by his Sidney Crosby Foundation.

“Racism that exists today in all forms is not acceptable. While I am not able to relate to the discrimination that Black and minority communities face daily, I will listen and educate myself on how I can help make a difference.

“Together, we will find solutions through necessary dialogue and a collective effort.”

This comes way too late for many fans who waited for Crosby to make a statement long ago. Last week, Kane asked athletes who historically have been extremely apolitical to speak up, and named the Pens' star player as an example. 

"We need so many more athletes that don't look like me speaking out about this, having the same amount of outrage that I have inside, and using that to voice their opinion, to voice their frustration, because that's the only way it's going to change," said Kane as per ESPN.

"We've been outraged for hundreds of years and nothing's changed," Kane continued. "It's time for guys like Tom Brady, and Sidney Crosby, and those type(s) of figures to speak up about what is right and, clearly in this case, what is unbelievably wrong. Because that's the only way we're going to actually create that unified anger to create that necessary change, especially when you talk about systematic racism."

On Tuesday, Crosby and his foundation decided to “go dark” by blacking out their profiles in a show of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, and fans did not appreciate that this way - so far - his only statement towards the injustices. 

Some will argue that Crosby has been doing just fine in his role as a leader in the Pittsburgh community, something I think no one would really argue with. But it’s great to finally see him use his words as well as his actions to speak out against racism.