Athletes take issue with Donald Trump over “locker room talk”

CJ McCollum, Jamal Crawford and Jacob Tamme are among current and former professional athletes on social media to criticize Donald Trump‘s characterization of his predatory, sexual comments about women from a 2005 video as “locker room talk.”

Trump’s campaign described his remarks as “locker room banter” in a statement Saturday, and the Republican presidential nominee repeated the line multiple times Sunday during the presidential debate with Hillary Clinton.

In the tape, obtained by The Washington Post and NBC News, Trump describes trying to have sex with a married woman and brags about women letting him kiss and grab them because he is famous.

“When you’re a star they let you do it,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”

He adds seconds later, “Grab them by the p—-. You can do anything.”

“I haven’t heard that one in any locker rooms,” McCollum wrote on Twitter in a response to a tweet from Crawford. McCollum plays for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers and Crawford plays for the Los Angeles Clippers.

I haven’t heard that one in any locker rooms https://t.co/Ci8NXOgFcI

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) October 10, 2016

Please stop saying “locker room talk”

— Jacob Tamme (@JacobTamme) October 10, 2016

It’s not normal. And even if it were normal, it’s not right. https://t.co/RQUWJJBSTn

— Jacob Tamme (@JacobTamme) October 10, 2016

Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson , Chiefs wide receiver Chris Conley and retired NFL players Donte Stallworth and Chris Kluweoffered similar condemnations.

Have I been in every locker room? No. But the guys I know and respect don’t talk like that. They talk about girls but not like that. Period.

— Chris Conley (@_flight17_) October 10, 2016

“Locker room talk” ?

— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) October 10, 2016

Yes. That’s not locker room talk. https://t.co/egzC03ooQA

— Chris Kluwe (@ChrisWarcraft) October 10, 2016

As an athlete, I’ve been in locker rooms my entire adult life and uh, that’s not locker room talk.

— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) October 10, 2016

Republished with permission of the Associated Press.