League fines Bryant $100,000 for anti-gay slur

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Los Angeles Lakers guard  Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 by the NBA yesterday for  comments directed at a referee during a recent game that have  been strongly criticised by leading gay rights groups.

Kobe Bryant

Television cameras caught the 13-times All-Star shouting an  anti-gay slur at the referee shortly after he was called for a  technical foul during Tuesday’s game against San Antonio.

The league said the comments by Bryant, one of the NBA’s  biggest names, were offensive and inexcusable.

“While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional  game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated,” NBA  Commissioner David Stern said in a statement.

“Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that  insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have  no place in our game or society.”

The incident occurred during the third quarter of Tuesday’s  game after Bryant was given a technical foul that prompted him  to storm to the Lakers bench, hit his seat and throw a towel.

“What I said last night should not be taken literally. My  actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game,  period,” the 32-year-old five-times NBA champion said in a  statement prior to receiving the fine.

“The words expressed do not reflect my feelings toward the  gay and lesbian communities and were not meant to offend  anyone.”

But Bryant’s actions were strongly criticised by Human  Rights Campaign, a gay civil rights group, who described the  outburst as “horribly offensive” and demanded a full apology.

“For better or worse, Kobe Bryant has created a teachable  moment for the millions of fans – many of them young – who saw  that outburst on the floor,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese.

“And the right thing to do now is to apologize and take  responsibility for suggesting that the worst thing you can do  to someone is to scream out a gay slur. This kind of homophobic  outburst has dangerous consequences, even more so when it comes  from a celebrity in the national spotlight.”

Solmonese later praised the NBA for its swift punishment of  Bryant and said he hoped the league’s actions would send a  strong message that such behaviour by athletes is inexcusable  no matter what the context.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said the  Lakers have a responsibility to educate their fans about why  Bryant’s choice of word for his outburst is unacceptable.