College Basketball Coach Under Fire for Using Gay Slur to Describe Rival Fans

Someone in the world of sports is once again under fire for using a slur.

West Virginia University men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins is on the hot seat after using a gay slur during a conversation on a radio show.

Huggins appeared on Cincinnati’s Bill Cunningham radio show on Monday. The hosts and coach discussed Xavier University’s “Crosstown Shootout” with the University of Cincinnati, where they claimed fans threw “rubber penises” on the court.

The audio was obtained by Awful Announcing.

“This was transgender night, wasn’t it?” one of the hosts joked.

In Huggins response, he called Xavier fans “Catholic f*gs.”

“It was the Crosstown Shootout,” he said. “What is was, was all those f*gs, those Catholic f*gs. They were envious they didn’t have one.”

After the wave of media attention on the clip, WVU and Huggins released a joint statement.

“Earlier today on a Cincinnati radio program, I was asked about the rivalry between my former employer, the University of Cincinnati, and its crosstown rival, Xavier University,” Huggins said. “During the conversation, I used a completely insensitive and abhorrent phrase that there is simply no excuse for —and I won’t try to make one here. I deeply apologize to the individuals I have offended, as well as to the Xavier University community, the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University.

“As I have shared with my players over my 40 years of coaching, there are consequences for our words and actions, and I will fully accept any coming my way. I am ashamed and embarrassed and heartbroken for those I have hurt. I must do better, and I will.”

WVU said the university is reviewing the incident.

“Coach Huggins’ remarks today on a Cincinnati radio show were insensitive, offensive and do not represent our University values,” the university said. “Coach Huggins has since apologized. West Virginia University does not condone the use of such language and takes such actions very seriously. The situation is under review and will be addressed by the University and its athletics department.”