Utes ‘deeply troubled and shaken’ by racist incident

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 Sports) – The University of Utah athletics department released a statement Tuesday saying the team is “deeply troubled and shaken” by a racist incident that occurred during their stay in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for the NCAA Tournament.

When the team arrived at their hotel Thursday night, they were harassed in a racially motived and hateful way by locals.

According to a Coeur d’Alene police report, team members had gone out to dinner when two pickup trucks “were revving their engines and speeding by the team” as they walked down the street.

“The trucks then turned around and came back towards the team and yelled the ‘N’ word at them as many of their players are African-American,” the report continued.

Utes basketball team exposed to ‘racial hate crimes’

The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations said in a statement the truck displayed a Confederate flag and said “appalling racial slurs.”

“As the players left the restaurant after dinner, the same perpetrator with reinforcements from fellow racists followed the women back to the Coeur d’Alene Resort continuing the racial threats while revving up their engines in a serious threat to the players’ safety,” the statement read. “The players were so traumatized they rushed back to the hotel and on Friday and Saturday left Coeur d’Alene with their coaches and staff.”

Utah switched hotels before its game against South Dakota State, which it won on Saturday. The Utes were then eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by Gonzaga on Monday, after which Roberts talked about the incident.

“We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes,” Roberts said. “It was Incredibly upsetting for all of us.”

The Utes filed a police report, and the allegations are now being investigated by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.

“There was a number of crimes that we were investigating currently,” Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White said at a press conference Tuesday. “The first one is there’s an Idaho statute regarding malicious harassment. The second one is a disorderly conduct statute. And then thirdly, there is a federal crime based on what actually occurred that evening.”

Utes eliminated from NCAA Tournament by Gonzaga

Coeur d’Alane mayor Jim Hammond apologized to the Utah basketball program at the press conference.

“I strongly condemn the appalling treatment of the female college athletes,” Hammond said. “We express regret and true sorrow that your student athletes were treated with such disdainful treatment while visiting our city.”

Roberts said her team was visibly shaken, and it ruined what should have been a joyous for the entire team.

“No one knew how to handle it,” Roberts said. You know, it was really upsetting. For our players and staff to not feel safe in an NCAA tournament environment, it’s messed up. The shock of like, wow, I can’t believe that happened. Yeah, I think it happens a lot and and it doesn’t get talked about enough.”

Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said in a statement that he was upset and frustrated that the Utes were assigned to stay 30 miles away from the arena in Spokane.

“As we continue to heal, we remain disappointed in the decision to assign our team to hotels such a great distance from the competition site, in another state,” the Utah statement read. “We will work with the NCAA leadership to make it clear that being so far removed from the site was unacceptable and a contributing factor to the impact of this incident.

“The focus will remain on the well-being of our students and staff.”

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