University investigation finds no evidence of ‘racial taunts’ at Duke volleyball games

An investigation launched by Brigham Young University (BYU) into allegations that supporters engaged in racial heckling and uttered racial slurs at a Duke volleyball player last month have found no evidence to corroborate this allegation.

Lesa Pamplin, who is the godmother of the alleged victim Rachel Richardson, wrote on Twitter at the time that while playing volleyball Richardson, 19, was heckled with racist taunts every time she served.

“She was threatened by a white male that told her to watch her back going to the team bus. A police officer had to be put by their bench,” Pamplin tweeted. She confirmed the account in an interview with Reuters.

“Many adults failed my goddaughter,” Pamplin said in statement. “Every American should be enraged that a young lady was subjected to hateful, deameaning language.”

BYU issued the results of its investigation into the August 26th match on Friday. BYU issued a lengthy statement to confirm that no evidence was found, the lifetime ban on the accused fan was lifted, however they did re-iterate that there was no place for racism or hate on their premises.

Despite having reviewed “all available video and audio recordings, including security footage and raw footage from all camera angles taken by BYUtv of the match, with broadcasting audio removed (to ensure that the noise from the stands could be heard more clearly),” as well as reaching out to “more than 50 individuals who attended the event,” the University said that they “have not found any evidence to corroborate the allegation that fans engaged in racial heckling or uttered racial slurs at the event.”

In spite of the investigation and statement by BYU, South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley announced that her team will cancel all games against BYU scheduled for this season and next.

“I continue to stand by my position. After my personal research, I made a decision for the well-being of my team. I regret that my university, my athletics director Ray Tanner and others got drawn into the criticism of a choice that I made,” Staley said in a statement released by the university’s athletics department.