Orlando (United States) (AFP)

The act is as strong as it is unprecedented in American professional sport: protesting against the shooting of the police on Jacob Blake, the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted their NBA game on Wednesday, followed by other baseball, football and tournament teams. Cincinnati tennis court.

Never seen. In a few hours, the movement initiated by the Milwaukee players has spread, after forcing the NBA to postpone two other meetings also scheduled for Wednesday, Houston-Oklahoma City and Los Angeles Lakers-Portland, the players of these teams having also opted for a boycott.

It was the Brewers - like the Bucks in Milwaukee, about fifty kilometers from Kenosha where Sunday's drama took place - who followed suit by refusing to play against Cincinnati. Two other baseball matches (MLB) were thus postponed. Ditto in MLS, the North American football league, where five of the six games on the program were boycotted by the players.

Then, after the Japanese Naomi Osaka decided not to play her semi-final of the Cincinnati tournament, relocated to New York, the organizers of the event decided in turn to postpone the matches scheduled for Thursday until Friday.

"Tennis collectively takes a stand against the racial inequality and social injustice that has once again been brought to the fore in the United States. The American Tennis Federation (USTA), the ATP and WTA Tours have decided to recognize this moment by interrupting play, "they said.

- Traumatized -

Is the postponement of matches from Thursday to Friday likely to reintegrate Osaka into the tournament, if it so wishes? Asked by AFP, the USTA had not given an immediate response.

"As a black woman, I feel like there are much more important issues that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis," said the 22-year-old born to mother. Japanese and Haitian father, and who has often spoken in recent months to denounce racial injustice.

NBA players are the most proactive in this field. The kneeling down during the national anthem, the words "Black Lives Matter" painted in black on the floors, the slogans on the back of the players' shirts, their regular speeches to demand justice, were since the resumption of the season proof of the mobilization within the league to work against racism.

But three months after the death of George Floyd, the fate of Jacob Blake, 29-year-old African-American seriously injured during his arrest, caused further shock.

The basketball players were traumatized by the scene filmed in which we hear seven shots hitting in the back this father who was trying after resisting his arrest to enter his car where, according to his lawyer, three of his sons aged 3, 5 and 8.

- "We are fed up" -

“Over the past few days in our state of Wisconsin, we have seen the terrible video of Jacob Blake and the further shooting at protesters. Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there is no action, so we can't focus on basketball today, "said the Bucks players.

Their decision surprised the Magic players, who said they "were not aware of the initiative, while adhering to it", and Barack Obama congratulated on Twitter "the players who defend what they believe in", adding " all our institutions will have to defend our values ​​".

In the wake of this first boycott, Lakers superstar LeBron James then tweeted: "WE CALL FOR CHANGE. WE'RE TIRED," announcing the sequel.

However, according to ESPN and the site The Athletic, during a meeting Wednesday evening, he and his Lakers, as well as the Clippers team voted for the outright end of the NBA season, unlike the others still concerned by the play-offs.

Discussions are scheduled to resume Thursday, while the League will hold a board of directors, involving executives and franchise owners, to "address player concerns."

Three matches are scheduled for Thursday. No one knows for now whether they will be boycotted, or whether the season will continue.

© 2020 AFP