The Miami Heat in the NBA distanced itself from a player who earlier this week used an anti-Semitic insult while playing a video game broadcast live on the Internet.
Meyers Leonard, a 7-meter center on the Heat, called another player “k —” on Monday during a “Call of Duty” match that was streamed over the online game streaming service Twitch.
“The Miami Heat vehemently condemns the use of any form of hate speech,” the Heat said in a statement.
“The words used by Meyers Leonard were wrong and we will not tolerate hate speech from someone associated with our franchise,” the team added. “Hearing from a Miami Heat player is particularly disappointing and bad for everyone who works here, as well as the larger communities of South Florida, the Miami Heat and the NBA. ”
In a post on social media on Tuesday, Leonard admitted that he used the string, claimed that he did not know that the term is offensive to Jews and apologized.
“I admit and hold my mistake, and there is no escape from something that is so painful for someone else,” Leonard said. “My ignorance of its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is not an excuse at all, and I was wrong.”
The NBA said it is investigating the incident and weighing the possible penalty for the seven-year-old.
“The NBA unequivocally condemns all forms of hate speech,” league spokesman Mike Bass told The Associated Press.
Heat said Leonard will spend time away from the team, which will begin its second half of the season after this week’s All-Star break.
Leonard could become a free agent this summer, AP noted, and the Heat has an option for his contract for the 2021-2022 season worth a total of about $ 10 million. He appeared in just three games this year for Miami.