Missouri football head coach Gary Pinkel stands behind his players as they commit to a strike until school president Tim Wolfe is fired or steps down.
Pinkel expressed his support via Twitter on Sunday morning.
The Mizzou Family stands as one. We are united. We are behind our players. #ConcernedStudent1950 GP pic.twitter.com/fMHbPPTTKl
— Coach Gary Pinkel (@GaryPinkel) November 8, 2015
The African-American players at Missouri have said they will strike until Wolfe is gone after a series of racially inspired events happened on campus.
Last month, an excrement-smeared swastika was found on a dorm wall inspired a hunger strike. More recently Payton Head, the Missouri Students Association president and an African-American, said he was “racially abused as he walked on campus,” per the Washington Post.
Students are upset with how Wolfe has remained quiet on these matters and believe he has handled matters poorly.
As a result, a strong contingency consisting of athletes of color has emerged, along with a list of demands.
Here they are – the list of demands from #ConcernedStudent1950. pic.twitter.com/Ofev5jjra1
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) November 8, 2015
The football players who have committed to staying on strike until Wolfe steps down have chosen an undertaking that will certainly generate plenty of controversy. Thankfully for them, they have the support of their head coach.