On Monday, West Liberty-Salem High School principal Greg Johnson submitted a report to the Ohio High School Athletic Association about the alleged exchange during a Feb. 11 game. The News-Sun obtained the report through a public records request.
In the report, Johnson said a Northeastern player came up behind a West Liberty-Salem player after a jump ball, “made contact with him, and uttered a racial slur towards him.” A West Liberty-Salem teammate reportedly heard the slur, stepped between the two players and “made contact with the Northeastern player.”
A technical foul was issued against West Liberty-Salem. The coaching staff at West Liberty-Salem was made aware of the incident, according to the report, and informed the officials and Northeastern coaches of it. Offsetting technical fouls were assessed on both coaching staffs, the report said.
“According to our coaches, the NE coach indicated that he investigated the use of a racial slur by asking the entire team if anyone said something racial and all players denied it,” the report said.
A Northeastern player later admitted that he heard a teammate apologize to the West Liberty-Salem athlete “for what he said,” according to the report submitted by West Liberty-Salem.
The Northeastern superintendent said that the school conducted an internal investigation and is collaborating with “a third party” to conduct an independent investigation.
Kronour would not reveal if disciplinary action has been taken, but said that pending the results of the investigation, the school will “continue following district policies,” he said.
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