Posted 07/23/16, 9:42 AM CST
*UPDATE* 07/23/16, 5:45 PM CST

The WNBA is withdrawing fines it charged the New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, and Phoenix Mercury over "uniform violations" by the teams and players for wearing black shirts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"While we expect players to comply with league rules and uniform guidelines, we also understand their desire to use their platform to address important societal issues," Borders said to the Associated Press.

The original article from AM News Net is below:

DALLAS (AM News Net)  –  Protests and media blackouts are just the beginning. After controversy over the WNBA fining teams and players for expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement with warm-up jerseys, Seattle Storm players are now expressing condemnation online.

Originally, the New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, and Phoenix Mercury teams wore warm-up jerseys supporting the Black Lives Matter Movement after recent police involved shootings. After the league issued a memo warning players not to continue, The New York and Indiana teams then refused to answer questions following their latest games on Thursday as part of a media black out.

The league fined the teams $5,000, along with $500 individual fines for each player after wearing the shirts over multiple games. Fever center Tina Charles spoke out on Instagram.

"Today, I decided to not be silent in the wake of the [WNBA] fines against [New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, and Phoenix Mercury] due to our support in the [Black Lives Matter] movement," she said. "Seventy percent of the [WNBA] players are African-American women and as a league collectively impacted. My teammates and I will continue to use our platform and raise awareness for the [Black Lives Matter] movement until the [WNBA] gives its support as it does for Breast Cancer Awareness, pride and other subject matters."

Players were also fined for wearing plain black Adidas shirts because it violated a "uniform policy." After the controversy, Seattle Storm players tweeted out that they would not be silenced.

"There comes a time when silence is betrayal," Sue Bird and Monica Wright tweeted out, quoting Martin Luther King Jr.

“We are proud of WNBA players’ engagement and passionate advocacy for non-violent solutions to difficult social issues but expect them to comply with the league’s uniform guidelines,” WNBA president Lisa Borders said to the Associated Press on Wednesday.

At this moment, it is not known how the WNBA will proceed or handle another protesting team. This isn't the first time the WNBA faced controversy over the Black Lives Matter Movement. Previously, four police officers walked away from their posts at the Target Center after Minnesota Lynx players wore Black Lives Matter Shirts during warmups.

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