The Miami Heat of the NBA have distanced themselves from a player who used an anti-Semitic abuse earlier this week while playing a video game live over the Internet.
Meyers Leonard, a sixteen-foot center on the Heat, called another gamer a “k —” during a “Call of Duty” contest aired on the online broadcasting service Twitch.
“The Miami Heat strongly condemns the use of any form of hate speech,” the Heat said in a statement.
“The words used by Meyers Leonard were incorrect and we will not tolerate any hate language of anyone associated with our franchise.” as well as the larger communities in South Florida, Miami Heat and NBA. ”
Leonard admitted in a message on social media on Tuesday that he was using the practice, claiming he did not know the term was abusive to the Jewish people, and apologized.
“I admit and own my mistake, and there is no such thing as something that hurts anyone else so much,” Leonard said. “My ignorance of history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely no excuse, and I was just wrong.”
The NBA said it is investigating the incident and weighing the possible penalty for the seventh-year player.
“The NBA condemns all forms of hate speech unequivocally,” league spokesman Mike Bass told The Associated Press.
The Heat have said Leonard will spend time away from the team, starting his second half of the season after the All-Star Break this week.
Leonard could become a free agent this summer, the AP noted, and the Heat have an option on his contract for the 2021-2022 season of about $ 10 million. He has appeared in just three games for Miami this year.