WASHINGTON - For the second time in a matter of weeks, the Human Rights Campaign acknowledges the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) and its commissioner, David Stern, for their immediate action - this time following the homophobic slur unleashed by Chicago Bull center Joakim Noah. The NBA fined Noah $50,000 for calling a heckling fan a "f***ing f***ot" during last night's [ May 22 ] game.
"We're impressed by the NBA's precedent-setting effort to eliminate gay slurs on the court," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "We are seeing a new conversation beginning in the world of sports, where a growing number of pro-athletes are publicly standing up for equality."
Last month, Commissioner Stern fined LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant $100,000 for using the same slur after receiving a technical foul. Like Bryant, Noah quickly apologized after the game.
The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
Original news items posted 10:30 a.m. May 23, 2011.
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah used an anti-gay slur during game three of the team's Eastern Conference series with the Miami Heat, according to USA Today.
Noah used the same slur that Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said last month—one that caused him to be hit with a $100,000 fine from the NBA. Noah was caught on video using the slur after being heckled by a fan.
After the game, Noah said he was sorry: "A fan said something, and I said something back. I apologized. I don't know what's going to happen. I got caught up. I didn't mean any disrespect to anybody."
Noah's slur came a week after Phoenix Suns executive Rick Welts came out of the closet.
Chicago Gay Athletes Respond to Joakim Noah Slur
Chicago, Illinois - May 23, 2011 ñ Mark Sakalares, Commisioner of the CMSA Menís Basketball League, released the following statement regarding the statement made by Joakim Noah on May 22, 2011:
Even our hometown heroes make mistakes that can be not only offensive but harmful. CMSA is also the proud home of the world's largest gay basketball league, and we often gather to cheer for the Bulls -- our favorite NBA team.
We welcome the opportunity of using the great sport of basketball to educate and inform Joakim Noah, the Chicago Bulls and others, that anger or emotion do not ever justify slurs or derogatory labels. As Joakim must already know, Chicago is simply too great a City, too diverse a community, to accept anything less than openness and respect for all of our neighbors and friends.
About CMSA: Founded in the 1980ís CMSA ( Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association ) is comprised of over 4000 members both male and female participating in 9 sports in 18 different leagues throughout the City of Chicago. CMSA Athletes often travel to other parts of the country representing Chicagoís Gay Athletic community while participating in national and international sporting events.
GLAAD Calls on NBA to Speak Out against Joakim Noah's Use of Anti-Gay Slur
May 23, 2011, New York, NY — The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD ) , the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today responded after Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah shouted an anti-gay slur toward a fan during a game on Sunday night.
"Last month the NBA sent an important message about how such slurs fuel a climate of intolerance and are unacceptable," said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. "These anti-gay remarks, coming so soon after, demonstrate how much needs to be done."
Noah has since apologized stating: "I apologize. The fan said something to me that I thought was disrespectful, and I got caught up in the moment, and I said some things that I shouldn't have said. I was frustrated and I don't mean no disrespect to anybody. I just got caught up."
"Noah's apology is a start," Barrios continued. "We are confident that the NBA will now take disciplinary measures and hasten its work with us to tell all players that there is no place for anti-gay words and attitudes in the game."
This morning GLAAD reached out to the NBA and the Chicago Bulls to discuss next steps.
Following the use of an anti-gay slur by Kobe Bryant, GLAAD began a partnership with the LA Lakers and the NBA. The Lakers sent a message about the use of such slurs through a video that was shown at home games during the Lakers' playoff run. GLAAD is actively working with the NBA to foster a safe environment for all fans, employees and players.
Kevin Boyer, GLAAD Chicago Leadership Council Co-Chair, stated:
"The NBA and the Bulls must take action against Joakim Noah. Anti-gay slurs fuel intolerance and have no place in sports. The NBA has a responsibility to create a safe environment for fans, employees and players and, yes, even fans of opposing teams who heckle players. Noah's non-apology, excusing his behavior by blaming "frustration," shows that he doesn't really understand that these kinds of slurs aren't ever acceptable. Coming so close on the heels of the public incident with Kobe Bryant, the NBA needs to take swift action in speaking out against Noah's remarks."
HRC Statement: Another Professional Athlete Hurls Anti-Gay Slur
WASHINGTON - Last night during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah called a heckling fan a "f***ing f***ot" after receiving his second foul of the night. The TNT cameras caught the slur.
"We need to get to a point where you don't use an anti-gay slur to respond to events," said Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign. "It's just plain unacceptable. At a time when the NBA and a growing number of pro-athletes are publicly standing up for equality, it's too bad Mr. Noah worked against their efforts last night. That said, we're pleased he quickly realized the error of his ways and apologized."
ESPN is reporting that Noah said, "A fan said something and I said something back. I apologize. I don't know what's going to happen. But I got caught up. I don't mean no disrespect to anybody. I just got caught up."
The LA Lakers' Kobe Bryant hurled the same anti-gay remark at a referee during a game last month. Bryant immediately and graciously apologized.
This morning the Human Rights Campaign released a video of NBA star Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns publicly supporting marriage equality in New York. NHL forward Sean Avery did the same last week. The videos can be viewed at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.
The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
