At ESPN we are aware of three offensive and inappropriate comments made on ESPN outlets during our coverage of Jeremy Lin.
On Saturday we apologised for two references. We have since learned of a similar reference Friday on ESPN Radio New York. The incidents were separate and different. We have engaged in a thorough review of all three and have taken the following action:
• The ESPN employee responsible for our Mobile headline has been dismissed.
• The ESPNEWS anchor has been suspended for 30 days.
• The radio commentator is not an ESPN employee.
We again apologise, especially to Mr. Lin. His accomplishments are a source of great pride to the Asian-American community, including the Asian-American employees at ESPN. Through self-examination, improved editorial practices and controls, and response to constructive criticism, we will be better in the future."
As a result of the inxidents ESPN has fired one employee and suspended another for using the same racist word in connection to New York Knicks’ guard.
In both cases, an employee used the word “chink” in reference to Lin, a Palo Alto native of Chinese descent.
One employee used the word in a mobile headline - “Chink in the Armor” - after the Knicks lost to the New Orleans Hornets Friday night.
The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund also issued a statement on Saturday calling the phrase "racist and inexcusable." The organisation called on ESPN to issue an apology "aired prominently on ESPN's television programs," and also offered to meet with ESPN employees to prevent future racism.
ESPN’s employees are not alone in demonstrating poor judgment when it comes to Lin. MSG, which owns the Knicks, aired an image of Lin popping out of a fortune cookie while Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock posted an offensive tweet about basketball’s newest star last weekend.
Whitlock apologised, saying he surrendered to the “immature, sophomoric, comedic” part of his personality.
Lin, a Harvard graduate, has come out of nowhere the past few weeks to lead the Knicks to respectability.
His instant popularity has landed him a spot in the NBA's All-Star Weekend.
