Here’s yet another example of sports fans taking it too far.
During a Saturday matchup between the Illinois State Redbirds and the Norfolk State Spartans, Spartans guard Jamarii Thomas exchanged words with Illinois State fans after being fouled.
Shortly after, Norfolk State coach Robert Jones and Illinois State coach Ryan Pedon confronted each other in the middle of the floor, looking very frustrated with each other.
Later in the broadcast, the ESPN commentators explained why Jones was so angry, saying there were “idiotic comments made by one or two of the fans of a racial nature.” This led to the fans being ejected and both coaches picking up technical fouls.
While we don’t know what the fans specifically said, it’s clear that it was a racial slur based on the response by Bill Salyer, the director of athletic communications at Illinois State University.
“The men’s basketball game on Saturday between Illinois State and Norfolk State was regrettably marred by the report of a racial slur directed at a Norfolk State player by an Illinois State fan,” Salyer said in a statement to NBC News. “The use of racial slurs and other offensive language targeting people for their identity is abhorrent and is not tolerated by Illinois State University. Among Illinois State’s core values are respect for others, diversity, and inclusion.”
“Illinois State has moved swiftly to investigate the report and will respond appropriately. Illinois State University and Redbird Athletics extend sincere apologies to Norfolk State University, its student-athletes, and its athletics staff for the deep upset caused and university leaders have personally reached out to colleagues at Norfolk State.”
Jones stood by his actions on Saturday, writing on X, “I’m not letting anybody call my players a racial slur . Those are my kids and I will fight for them. We have come too far in society to be called the N-word at college basketball game.”
Pedon also apologized for his reaction towards Jones during the game, saying in a statement, “This was a misunderstanding in which I reacted to him without understanding the situation, and I own that mistake 100%. I would also like to apologize for any negative reflection my response may have brought to either institution, its student-athletes or basketball programs.”
Those are satisfactory responses from both parties. No defending the fans or their actions. No tiptoeing around the issue. Just a swift apology from Illinois State and its coach so that everyone can move on.
It’s all good and dandy to root against a rival team, but going to the length where you’re just straight-up racist is never acceptable in any context, let alone during a mid-major college basketball game in the middle of December. The only thing left to do is to ban those fans from ever attending another sporting event at the university again.