Ricardo A. Richardson, president and CEO of the CBA, told
Outsports late Monday night that Hardaway has been relieved
of his duties as "Chief Basketball Operations advisor for
Trinity Sports, which was scheduled to have a team in the
CBA next season, [the] Miami Majesty." Hardaway was also the
coach of the Majesty, which was formerly the Florida Pit
Bulls of the
American Basketball Association.
Hardaway's hate-filled diatribe came during a Feb. 14 radio
interview with Dan Le Batard. Among other comments, Hardaway
told Le Batard, "Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let
it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be
around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It
shouldn't be in the world or in the United States. So yeah,
I don't like it.''
Hardaway made the comments in the midst of various
appearances in Las Vegas on behalf of the NBA in the week
leading up to the NBA's All-Star Weekend. Within hours of
Hardaway's anti-gay comments, the NBA dismissed the former
All-Star from his role with the Association, and Hardaway
left Las Vegas the next day.
The day after Hardaway made his comments, Dennis Truax,
Director of Basketball Operations for the CBA, made the
following statement:
“The CBA does not in any way condone or endorse the hateful
comments made by Mr. Hardaway to ESPN yesterday. Mr.
Hardaway’s comments were unfortunate, hateful and are not
the views of the CBA or any of its member teams. It is our
fervent belief that any person should be allowed to
participate in our league, regardless of race, color, creed,
national origin, political preference or sexual orientation,
without fear of reprisal or discrimination. The CBA is an
equal opportunity employer, and Mr. Hardaway’s comments have
no effect or bearing on our position now or in the future.
We do not share his views or support his position regarding
Mr. [John] Amaechi and his recent personnel revelations.”
Amaechi, who played in the NBA for five seasons, revealed
two weeks ago that he is gay. ESPN Books released his
autobiography, "Man in the Middle," last week.
Other athletes have been penalized for making anti-gay
comments in the past. Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John
Rocker was suspended in 2000 by Major League Baseball for
making anti-gay and racist comments about riding the 7 train
in New York City. In 2006, Pittsburgh Steeler Joey Porter
was fined $10,000 by the NFL for publicly calling Cleveland
Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. a "fag."
"We would like to move on from this issue," Richardson told
Outsports. "As it relates to the CBA, we do not discriminate
against individuals based on sexual orientation."
