by HRC Staff •
Washington - For the second time in a matter of weeks, the Human Rights Campaign acknowledges the National Basketball Association (NBA) and its commissioner, David Stern, for their immediate action - this time following the homophobic slur unleashed by Chicago Bull center Joakim Noah. The NBA fined Noah $50,000 for calling a heckling fan a "f***ing f***ot" during last night's game.
"We're impressed by the NBA's precedent-setting effort to eliminate gay slurs on the court," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "We are seeing a new conversation beginning in the world of sports, where a growing number of pro-athletes are publicly standing up for equality."
Last month, Commissioner Stern fined LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant $100,000 for using the same slur after receiving a technical foul. Like Bryant, Noah quickly apologized after the game.
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