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WNBA star Liz Cambage drops Olympic race row boycott threat

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Agence France-Presse 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/05/11/wbb_aus_liz-cambage_lj.jpg"/><figcaption>Australia&#x27;s Liz Cambage (L) and Lauren Jackson look at their bronze medals during victory ceremony at the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 11, 2012. File Photo.<em> Mike Segar, Reuters.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>SYNDEY, Australia -- Australian basketball star Liz Cambage on Tuesday withdrew a threat to boycott the Tokyo Olympics over &quot;whitewashed&quot; team photoshoots, but vowed to remain outspoken on social justice issues.</p><p>The 29-year-old, a two-time Olympian who is preparing for the new WNBA season with the Las Vegas Aces, last week took issue with two promotional pictures showing predominantly white Australian Olympic athletes.</p><p>The first photoshoot organized by the team&#x27;s apparel sponsor, Jockey, included no people of color, while Indigenous rugby player Maurice Longbottom was the only non-white face in the group pictures in the second.</p><p>&quot;HOW AM I MEANT TO REPRESENT A COUNTRY THAT DOESNT EVEN REPRESENT ME #whitewashedaustralia,&quot; Cambage posted on Instagram, concluding &quot;until I see you doing more @ausolympicteam imma sit this one out&quot;.</p><p>Cambage, who has a Nigerian father and Australian mother, backtracked in a post on the same platform Tuesday, saying &quot;I&#x27;m in baby, I&#x27;m in&quot;.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m going to play with my sisters that I&#x27;ve been playing with since I was a wee little thing and imma ball out for all those young brown kids back in Australia watching me,&quot; she said.</p><p>Cambage&#x27;s threat received a mixed response in Australia, with some applauding her for taking a stance while others, including former tennis star Todd Woodbridge, accused her of &quot;disrespecting&quot; fellow athletes.</p><p>The Australian Olympic Committee conceded Cambage had a point and said future photoshoots would reflect its diversity of athletes.</p><p>Cambage, part of the Australian team that won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, was unfazed by criticism and said she would continue to speak out.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m such a psycho b*tch that all the hate that you give me turns me on, it makes me go harder and push for more,&quot; she said, vowing to use her voice to &quot;make change&quot;.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1637881" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Liz Cambage on Tuesday withdrew a threat to boycott the Tokyo Olympics over "whitewashed" team photoshoots, but vowed to remain outspoken on social justice issues.<br /> </p>

Liz Cambage on Tuesday withdrew a threat to boycott the Tokyo Olympics over "whitewashed" team photoshoots, but vowed to remain outspoken on social justice issues.