NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State officials announced on Monday night they are standing by men's head coach basketball coach Robert Jones and staff who alleged an Illinois State fan had allegedly directed a racial slur at Spartans guard Jamarii Thomas in a game between the two schools on December 9th.
Norfolk State University President Javaune Adams-Gaston, Ph.D., and NSU Director of Athletics Melody Webb released the following statement on Monday night:
Norfolk State University stands firmly against racism and discrimination in any form. We are fully committed to fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of their background, feel valued, respected, and included.
The external investigation into this matter was very important, and we are appreciative of the efforts made by Illinois State University.
It is disheartening to see instances of racism tarnishing the spirit of fair play and camaraderie that sports are meant to embody.
We condemn any actions that undermine the dignity and humanity of our student-athletes. We want to reiterate our dedication to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment. We stand with our student-athletes, Coach Robert Jones, and staff who traveled with the team. We recognize and understand the difficulty our players experienced, and that they persevered.
Let us use this moment to recommit ourselves to fostering a culture of respect, understanding, and unity. We encourage open dialogue, education, and collaboration to address the root causes of such incidents and work towards a future where incidents of racism are eradicated from our campuses and beyond.
According to the ABC affiliate WEEK-TV in Peoria, Illinois, ISU officials said investigators identified more than 50 people in the general vicinity of the incident and then took statements from 47 people. NSU declined at the time to be part in the investigation.
ISU officials released their own findings through an Ethics Office investigation saying they were not able to verify a racial insult being said:
"Following the report of a racial slur directed at a Norfolk State player by an Illinois State fan sitting courtside at the Saturday, December 9, 2023, men’s basketball game against Norfolk State, the Illinois State University Ethics Office has concluded and moved to officially close the investigation.
Illinois State has a zero-tolerance policy for acts of racism, including racial slurs and other offensive language targeting people for their background or identity. Illinois State fully reviews all claims and this claim was immediately elevated beyond Athletics to Illinois State’s Ethics Office for a full investigation.
The investigation included:
· Review of all available video and audio recordings, along with the lead official’s game report, game operations plan, and seating diagrams
· Identification of more than 50 individuals in the general vicinity of the alleged incident or associated with game operations, including: game officials, media, Norfolk State student-athletes, ISU student-athletes, ISU staff and spectators
· Statements from 47 individuals, with only Norfolk State declining to participate
While the investigation did not verify the use of a racial slur, Illinois State remains committed to promoting an open and inclusive campus community where all people feel welcomed, valued, and respected. It is our goal as a university to move forward with a renewed effort to promote and encourage practices on our campus that help us demonstrate that commitment, including those outlined in Illinois State’s Event Code of Conduct, the Athletics Code of Sportsmanship, and the Missouri Valley Conference Sportsmanship Standards of Conduct."
The NSU men next host Delaware State on Saturday, February 3rd at 4 pm.