WATCH: Basketball announcer refers to Black players as ‘thugs’ — promptly gets fired
February 18, 2022
A college basketball announcer has been fired after apparently referring to Black players as "thugs" during a broadcast.
The unidentified play-by-play announcer worked for the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, according to a report from Salt Lake City's Fox affiliate.
Southern Idaho was playing against Salt Lake Community College on Wednesday.
According to video of the incident, a Southern Idaho player was attempting a layup when he was fouled from behind — and knocked to the floor — by a Salt Lake player who tried to block the shot.
The announcer claimed that the the Southern Idaho player had been "hammered again." The player who committed the foul, Jordan Brinson, is Black.
"Who are these thugs?" the announcer exclaimed. “That is the third time he has been pounded down to the floor at the bucket by these guys.”
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The College of Southern Idaho issued a statement saying the announcer's contract had been terminated.
"The College of Southern Idaho and the CSI Athletic Department want to apologize to the Salt Lake Community College players, coaches, and fans for the comments made during the broadcast," athletic director Joel Bate said in the statement. "CSI does not condone and will not tolerate these types of remarks. They do not reflect our values as an institution of higher education or as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association. We have the utmost respect for the SLCC Athletic Department and for their student-athletes."
Watch the video below.
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