Royals hold anti-pornography seminar for players at spring training

Scott Gleeson | USA TODAY

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The Kansas City Royals are taking a stand against pornography. The team hosted a seminar for minor-league players last week with the assistance of anti-porn group "Fight the New Drug."

"Fight the New Drug" co-founder Clay Olsen spoke to the players at spring training in Surprise, Ariz., and the non-profit organization posted photos to Instagram of players attending the workshop. “We’re inspired that they’re stepping up to the plate,” the post read. "Fight the New Drug" describes itself as a group focused on “raising awareness on (porn’s) harmful effects using only science, facts, and personal accounts.” The group states that it is not religiously affiliated.

Royals vice president of communications and broadcasting Mike Swanson told USA TODAY Sports by phone that the seminar was mainly for "impressionable" minor-league players, and that the pornography discussion was just one part of the off-the-field education the team provides to players. Swanson added that general manager Dayton Moore is passionate about the issue, and the goal is for players to be zeroed in on their performance for games.

Moore has previously expressed concerns about pornography addiction. Last August, days after pitcher Danny Duffy was cited for DUI, Moore discussed "leadership" activities the club provided to players.

“We talk about pornography, and the effects of what that does to the minds of players and the distractions, and how that leads to abuse of — domestic abuse — to abuse of women,” Moore told reporters at a news conference last year.

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