Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart has tweeted that “there will be consequences” for a fan shown in yelling a racial slur at a Tennessee fan near the end of the Volunteers’ win over the Wildcats on Tuesday.
Supporter Ethan Williams tweeted a video of himself shouting at Kentucky fans as they left Rupp Arena towards the end of the contest, which Tennessee won 81-73.
Williams’ video and another from a spectator, who identified herself as Ashley Lyles to Lexington TV station WLEX, who stopped and yelled a racial slur as she left the venue.
Lyles later made a public apology for her actions and stated that she doesn’t want to just apologise with her words, but also in her actions moving forward.
She called her actions “unacceptable, period.”.
Via AP:
Lyles apologized in a statement released by the TV station in which she called her reaction “unacceptable, period.” The apology added, “My words were hurtful and hateful and have no place in this world. I apologize to the University and state of Kentucky for the embarrassment I have caused. I want my apology not just to be in words, but in actions moving forward.”
Barnhart said Wednesday night in a series of posts on his Twitter account that an incident like the one that occurred at Rupp “has no place at the University of Kentucky.” The AD added that while the person in question is not a season-ticket holder, “there are still ways to ensure those actions are not repeated at future UK events.”
Barnhart tweeted that the school has reached out to the fan who was the victim of this “abusive and inexcusable language” to apologize personally. He added, “That’s not who we are as an athletics department.”
With March Madness fast approaching, and the online sports betting world preparing for a number of bets from excited fans, worldwide, especially those that will log on to betoclock.com, where they will find online betting guides for all sports across the globe this has come as an unwelcome event from NCAA organizers.
For Kentucky, they are to stay in the spotlight as they will also be taking part in the first NCAA game to be played in London on December 6, when they play Michigan at the 02 Arena.
That begins a series of three games in three against their rivals from Ann Arbor.
March Madness commences March 17 with the Final Four held in Atlanta.
