Very rarely do we start our gossip column regarding a basketball journalist. But when that journalist is Bill Simmons, you can understand that it is a little different.
ESPN’S BILL SIMMONS SUSPENDED FOR THREE WEEKS
While Simmons wasn’t suspended because of a basketball-related incident, the NBA Countdown analyst and Grantland editor has been given three-week leave due a tirade on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Via the Washington Past:
In a weekly segment in which he discusses NFL point spreads with Cousin Sal of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Simmons brought up the press conference Goodell held on Friday, in which the commissioner was pressed on what he knew about the details of the Ray Rice domestic violence incident, and when he knew them.
As Simmons talked about how “insincere” Goodell came across to him, he seemed to get increasingly agitated. Subsequent remarks by Simmons included these:
“Goodell, if he didn’t know what was in that tape, he’s a liar. I’m just saying it. He is lying. I think that dude is lying, if you put him up on a lie-detector test, that guy would fail. And for all these people to pretend they didn’t know is such [expletive] [expletive], it really is, it’s such [expletive] [expletive].
“And for him to go on that press conference and pretend otherwise, I was so insulted. I really was.” …
“I don’t like liars. Really, I think just people who, when you know they’re lying and they’re lying anyway, those are the worst people. We know you’re lying!” …
“I really hope somebody calls me or emails me and says I’m in trouble for anything I say about Roger Goodell. Because if one person says that to me, I’m going public. You leave me alone. The commissioner’s a liar, and I get to talk about that on my podcast. … Please, call me and say I’m in trouble. I dare you.”
ESPN acted straightaway an issued a statement regarding Simmons.
“Every employee must be accountable to ESPN and those engaged in our editorial operations must also operate within ESPN’s journalistic standards. We have worked hard to ensure that our recent NFL coverage has met that criteria. Bill Simmons did not meet those obligations in a recent podcast, and as a result we have suspended him for three weeks.”
QATAR WOMEN FORFEIT GAME IN HIJAB ROW
Qatar’s Women refused to play an Asian Games encounter with Mongolia due to being asked to take their religious headscarves off.
Via China Daily:
The Qatari players were asked, in accordance with International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, to remove the hijab before their group game against Mongolia.
However, the players refused, saying it violated their religious beliefs and they wanted to send a strong message to the sport’s governing federation that the ban was unfair.
“We have to take this stand,” said Ahlam Salem M. Al-Mana of Qatar. “We are here to push the international association that all Muslim teams are ready to compete in any competition.
“We knew about the hijab ban, but we have to be here. We have to show everyone that we are ready to play, but the International Association is not ready.”
A spokesperson for the Incheon Asian Games (IAGOC) said that organizers had no alternative other than to declare a forfeit because, “the rule that the players broke is International Basketball Federation rule 4.4.2, which talks about uniforms and what players can wear.
Other sports at the Asian Games allow athletes to wear the hijab. All four members of the Iranian lightweight women’s quadruple sculls team wore hijabs as they rowed to a bronze medal on Wednesday.
Basketball remains one of the exceptions, though FIBA said earlier this month it had held discussions on the issue and was introducing a two-year ‘testing phase’ on what players can wear.
“Relaxing the current rules regarding headgear in order to enable national federations to request, as of now, exceptions to be applied at the national level within their territory without incurring any sanctions for violation of FIBA’s Official Basketball Rules,” FIBA explained.
“National Federations wishing to apply for such an exception to the uniform regulations shall submit a detailed request to FIBA. Once approved, they shall submit follow-up reports twice a year to monitor the use of such exceptions.”
