Agree, it was blown way out of proportion. There are many rules in place to protect players, this happens to be one of them. I find it sad every time someone gets told something they don't like it can somehow be turned into a racial issue.

Do white people grow fingernails at a different rate to black people?

I think they were referring to the rule being in place for safety....

Black hair and white hair are not the same.

I'm guessing it goes something like this: the rule was introduced for safety; the US encounters an issue where it’s mostly black people with braids, as yes, the genetics is different in that respect; US realises the rule disproportionately picks on black people as a result; US realises braids aren’t really that much of a tear after all and changes the rule; Australia doesn’t encounter the issue until now; Basketball Australia decides it’s really not a safety risk on the balance and changes it.

Long story short: just an over zealous safety rule that makes sense in theory but in practice isn’t worth applying

Aren't really that much of a safety issue after all*

How did Mitchel have her hair ? I couldn't find anything on how she was wearing it ?
When coaching (womens) I did have the refs tell me some of my players had to change their hair because it was a platt and deemed unsafe. Although that was a few years ago. Is this the rule they are referring to and saying is no longer enforced ?

Happy to see this rule abolished as it has been in every other country. I imagine those "its for safety!" people will be able to find countless examples of career threatening injuries from free braids yeah?

People are pathetic. How hard is it to tie your hair in a way that isn't going to whip people? Yes, I personally have been whipped by people who have their hair in plaits/braids from both white and black opposition. If a gentle sport like Netball enforces it, why not basketball? Her hair extensions are very long, she chose to go with that hairstyle as a professional athlete. Sometimes when you're a pro athlete you have to forgo things the general population don't. The court is essentially her "work place."

She doesn't want to change her hairstyle to make it more comfortable for anyone else around her, so that's somehow a race issue? Please.

It's nothing to do with race.

Wow... Kobe Rulez is here right on cue!

It's a rule that was meant to have safety purpose and that is really all there is to it. Of course, being 2021, we have to take the racist injustice angle as we cant just say "eh, that's a silly rule". Everything has to be put on turbo and turned into something it never was, as though these evil ivory tower white slave owners were seeking to colonize the hair of African-American females.

If white people were fashioning their hair into hard spikes I am sure there would be rules about having your hair as hard spikes and no one would gasp are ask "wont somebody PLEASE think of the children!?!?!" But the Helen LoveJoys are out in force over the braids "issue".

And I don't believe the rule is that you cant have braids. More that they have to be tied back. Are there white women playing with their hair not tied back that I've become unaware of?

I am pretty sure having your hair tied back is just standard procedure. But if you ask that black women do the same, you're clearly some sort of Jim Crow segregationist who wants to force her to the back of the bus.

Look... it's absolutely ridiculous that this became a race issue. There is no reason a white woman couldn't come to the same problems wearing a similar hair do with her hair swinging around on a basketball court. This Tiff character has cried racism because, we all know it's the quickest way to get a response. As soon as you yell "racism" in place of the word "jump" the response is immediately "how high!?!?!?"

Out come the grovelling apologies, the calls to "do better", the name of Basketball Australia is besmirched, and Liz Cambage can snap her fingers, shake her head and go "ahmmmm hmmm!"

But in reality all Basketball Australia is guilty of in this instance is not retiring a rule that FIBA had already retired, rightly or wrongly. They opened themselves up to this criticism but of course the criticism is absolute garbage and just being weaponized by race baiters to cause division where there need not be any.

There is a lot of the talk about black hair, white hair that I've seen written as well. It's totally irrelevant. If I work at a workplace, I cant just do my hair in any way I want to. If I choose to shave a bald spot in the middle of my head as a joke, as a customer service role I'd probably be fired or taken off work until I take my appearance seriously.

If you work at McDonalds, you tie your hair back and you put your hair in a net.

There is NOTHING vaguely racist about asking someone to tie their hair back for their job. Nothing. Black people don't absolutely have to have their hair flowing every moment of their lives, just as white people do not have to either. You're on the job. If you're asked to tie your hair back... you tie your hair back. No one is asking you to shave your head or make your hair a different texture.

This is ridiculous. But it's 2021. Ridiculous is the new normal

snap her fingers, shake her head and go "ahmmmm hmmm!"

wow ME right on cue to cry about something which won't affect him in the slightest and claim others have a victim mentality

"Jesus fucking Christ, dude."

Yep... cant make a joke anymore. Clutches pearls!

"wow ME right on cue to cry about something which won't affect him in the slightest and claim others have a victim mentality"

Well.. what is this forum even for? Who is being directly effected by anything written here? Who is having a cry? Cant have an opinion on absolute BS happening around you unless it affects your life specifically?

ME is spot on.

So Cayla George can now go get braided hair extensions that flick everywhere and if anyone she's playing on complains it's......racist? Get real.

As a complete side bar, that isn't even Mitchell's real hair. No one is asking her to take them out, they're asking her to tie them in a way which isn't effecting others. Are we really that bratty now that that is considered racist? Stuff me.

Cry some more ME

Next asking players to trim their finger nails will be racist. It's coming. I am sure of it.

Other than telling me "to cry some more" can you even debate the point I've made?

No. Neiother can KobeRulez, and that's why you've settled on abject horror and stupid one-liners.

The WNBL have agreed with the rest of the world bodies that the rule was unnecessary and have acted accordingly. End of story. Keep crying though

"When you can't win an arguement on the facts, get personal. Deflection, distract"

You mean like this?

"Wow... Kobe Rulez is here right on cue"

"The SJW's of the world have taken over"

"People are pathetic"

"Next asking players to trim their finger nails will be racist. It's coming. I am sure of it."

"Liz Cambage can snap her fingers, shake her head and go "ahmmmm hmmm!""

Liz Cambage very literally would do that so I don't see how that's offensive. It'll probably be the next Instagram video she posts.

Cram and KobeRulez are just very excitable SJWs. They forget that around my one-liners I've made points and they haven't.

Here's the only point that matters: Its been decided and nobody cares whether you agree with it or not

No one cares if you do either... funnily enough more people agree with me than you. But regardless, I am going to air my opinion and you're going to continue to see and hear about it, whether or not you care or want to. I hope that makes you feel really good :)

Cool, i'll let you get back to your little circle jerk then

Liz Cambage very literally would do that so I don't see how that's offensive.

I challenge Cram and KobeRulez to a push up competition. For me to win I have to beat the combined number of push ups that you do between you. I am confident I can win before even waking up properly for the day.

"Waaah racist caricatures"

White people cant dance, jump, sing and are generally uncool.

Anyone offended? No? Thought not.

"Cram, Kobe .... Netball has the same hair policy as BA did.

Are you saying World Netball and Netball Australia are racist?"


We all know what answer they're going to give. It will be a very nuanced and well thought "yes, because everything is racist"

This should not really be about race.

BA tried to enforce a rule that is no longer required by FIBA.

They were wrong, they have fixed it.

Move on right?

Netball doesn't have the policy in question, so it's a moot point.

The former FIBA policy in question requires hair to be tied up, not just back.

"Cram, Kobe .... Netball has the same hair policy as BA did.

Are you saying World Netball and Netball Australia are racist"

Where did I call BA racist? Or bring up race at all?

"The former FIBA policy in question requires hair to be tied up, not just back."

The inference would have been that the hair wasnt swinging around I am very very very sure.

It used to be enforced on-court, like long finger-nails, they were considered "weapons". Some girls (yes, in them days, us boys wore short hair, with Brylcream, if you must know.) actually swung their heads(on purpose) to get opponents with a hefty smack of braided hair, usually to the head/face area naturally!

White people cant dance, jump, sing and are generally uncool.
Anyone offended? No? Thought not.

Steph Curry breaks a record?
silence ---- this is completely false. I've seen it multiple times today.



Patty Mills pours in 30 in an OT win?
silence ------ Also false.

A decision goes in favour of a black woman?
QUICK!!! TO THE KEYBOARDS!!! ----- In favour of someone throwing a fit because they don't want to respect anyone else around them? If a white woman threw a fit because she didn't want to cut her fingernails, I doubt it would be overturned.

Mitchell made it about race as she knew she would get her own way. She decided to get hair extensions which aren't practical in the arena she works in, but no one is allowed to say that.

Actually I take that back, her extensions could be acceptable if she tied them in a way which didn't have them flicking everywhere.

No mention yet of Jordair Jett in the NBL - how did HE wear his hair?

Damn, you beat me to the jump with the jordair Jett comment. Those things were like weapons. When I saw him post-crocs playing against the marlins in the qbl he nearly knocked a few people out.

I ask the question on jewelery because at the Olympics,Junior world championships nad other games a lot of the female players had ear rings in and taped over.Now according to the rules that is not allowed because it can still be dangeroud to opposition players.

So why did the refs allow them to play with them in.

Because contrary to your assertion, the rules allow it.