Even high-profile scandals and $100,000 fines have yet to silence homophobic slurs in the pro sports arena.
At Sunday night’s NBA Eastern Conference Finals game, Chicago Bulls player Joakim Noah appears to have uttered the same anti-gay slur that brought the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant so much unwanted attention – and a hefty fine from the NBA — earlier this spring.
Early on in the game, Noah was called for a foul against Miami Heat player LeBron James and subsequently returned to the bench. There, USA Today reports that Noah was caught on tape yelling at a fan seated behind him. While the recording is not as definitive as that used to prove Bryant’s conduct back in April, it has nevertheless sparked protest and ample media attention.
In response to the incident, Noah has since issued an apology to the fan and explained that he expects to be fined for his conduct.
According to ESPN, Noah said that he “got caught up in the moment” during the game and said things he shouldn’t have.
“I was frustrated and I don’t mean no disrespect to anybody,” Noah added.
Update: May 24, 2011
Yesterday, David Stern announced that Joakim Noah will receive a $50,000 fine as a penalty for using a homophobic slur during Sunday’s game. However, the fine is only half of that incurred when Kobe Bryan uttered the exact same slur back in April — and according to some, that inconsistency is unacceptable.
ESPN Chicago reports that Stern explained the disparity between the two fines due to Bryant’s direction of the slur to a referee as opposed to a fan. However, some argue that fans who pay high prices for NBA tickets should be given the same protection as paid referees.
