The University of Arizona athletic director, Desireé Reed-Francois, has apologized for a chant directed at Brigham Young University (BYU) fans during the team’s recent basketball game. The chant, which used a derogatory term, was met with condemnation from the United Jewish Federation of Utah and other organizations.
Reed-Francois released a statement on social media, saying that the chant “is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened.” He apologized to BYU, its student-athletes, coaches, and fans for the incident.
The United Jewish Federation of Utah also weighed in, releasing a statement that described the chant as “derogatory” and called it an example of religious intolerance. The organization emphasized the need for unity against hate and bigotry.
Tensions were evident during the game, which saw a post-game scuffle between players from both teams. However, no further incidents occurred after players were escorted off the court by staff members from both teams.
BYU is scheduled to host West Virginia on Saturday, while Arizona’s next game is at Arizona State on Wednesday.
Source: https://www.ksl.com/article/51259756/arizona-ad-quick-to-apologize-to-byu-for-offensive-chant-directed-at-latter-day-saints