Rutgers University basketball coach
Mike Rice has been fired after ESPN aired footage of him hurling
anti-gay slurs at players during a practice session.
The 30-minute video was taken during
practices which took place from 2010 to 2012 and was compiled by
former Rutgers director of player development Eric Murdock, who said
his contract was not renewed after he showed the footage to the
athletic department.
According to The New York Times,
Rutgers Athletic Director Tim Pernetti saw the footage in December
and Rice was suspended for three games and fined $50,000.
In the video, Rice is seen shoving
players, throwing basketballs at students and screaming, “You
fucking fairy …. You're a fucking faggot.”
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
called Rice's conduct “disturbing.”
“Governor Christie saw the video
today for the first time,” press secretary Michael Drewniak said,
“and he is obviously deeply disturbed by the conduct displayed and
strongly condemns this behavior. It's not the type of leadership we
should be showing our young people, and clearly there are questions
about this behavior that need to be answered by the leaders at
Rutgers University.”
GLAAD, a leading LGBT rights advocate,
called on the school to fire Rice.
“The school sent a powerful message
to Rice himself when it suspended and fined him for this incident,”
the
group wrote. “But now that this tape has gone public, and the
entire community has seen it, the school has to take further action
to send an even more powerful message of support to its LGBT
students.”
ESPN basketball analyst Jalen Rose also
called for Rice's termination. “The video of Rutgers H.C. Rice
abusing players is appalling! He should be fired ASAP,” he
tweeted.
“Based upon recently revealed
information and a review of previously discovered issues, Rutgers has
terminated the contract of Mike Rice,” Rutgers Athletics tweeted on
Wednesday.
(A video report from ESPN is embedded
on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)