Otago Daily Times

Player handed eightgame ban by Otago associatio­n for racial abuse during game

- ADRIAN SECONI

BASKETBALL Otago has banned a player for eight games for racial abuse during a recent premier men’s game.

The associatio­n's general manager Peter Drew declined to name the player or discuss the details of the abuse. But the

Otago Daily Times understand­s the athlete is St Kilda Saints player Jamie McDonald.

McDonald declined to comment when contacted.

It is understood he taunted another player with racial noises and gestures during a game late last month.

In protest, members of the Magic club wore antiracism Tshirts.

Mid City Magic club president Andrew Griffiths could not be reached for comment.

Basketball Otago yesterday released a statement following its investigat­ion into the incident.

‘‘The outcome of the hearing is that the player accepted that he had committed a breach of the code of conduct regarding racial abuse,’’ Drew stated.

‘‘As a result, this player was suspended from playing prior to the hearing, and which will include a total of eight matches of the Dunedin Men’s Basketball League which will run into

the 2021 season.’’

‘‘Basketball Otago is disappoint­ed that the incident marred an otherwise successful 2020 season.

‘‘We reiterate our policy of zero tolerance to racism and any form of unacceptab­le behaviour by players, coaches, officials or spectators.

‘‘To ensure all parties rights to fairness and privacy we will not be commenting further.’’

The hearing was undertaken by a fourperson panel independen­t of Basketball Otago.

While Drew declined to be drawn on the specifics of the incident, he did point out Basketball Otago had followed the judicial guidelines set down by the national body.

‘‘We have a policy of zero tolerance and so do Basketball

New Zealand.

‘‘As for whether it cast our sport in a bad light, well, look, you can’t control what individual­s do. All you can do is how you react to that and the kind of the messages you put out there.

‘‘The issue of racism in sport is a global issue at the moment and it has the spotlight on it.

‘‘And it is an issue we take extremely seriously.

‘‘Thankfully this is the only case that we’ve had in recent times if at all.’’

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