US hockey player Andrew Shaw suspended after calling referee a ‘f**king f*ggot’
The US National Hockey League (NHL) has suspended Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw for one match after he was caught on camera using an anti-gay slur during a match.
Shaw flipped two middle fingers at the referee during a National Hockey League Game on Tuesday (April 19), and while he was sitting in the penalty box shouted “F**k you, you f**king faggot,” Gay Star News reports.
On Wednesday (April 20) the NHL announced that Shaw has been suspended for one game and has been fined $5,000 (£3,450).
Shaw has now apologised and says he will “eliminate that word” from his vocabulary.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (April 20), the 24-year-old explained that he had a “tough time sleeping” after watching the video of the angry outburst.
“That’s not the type of guy I am. I saw the video last night and I had a tough time sleeping. You know what’s gotten to me is I let my emotions get the better of me. Obviously I’m sorry and I want to apologise.”
Of everyone angry at NHL officials, here’s Andrew Shaw #stlblues #blackhawks pic.twitter.com/JyXUQkFtZv
— Greg Jonsson (@Jonssonville) April 20, 2016
“It’s 2016 now, it’s time that everyone is treated equally. It’s a hurtful word, I know that. I’m sorry and I want to apologise.”
The NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, Colin Campbell, has said that Shaw “must be held accountable for his actions” despite showing remorse.
“The emotion of the moment cannot and will not be a mitigating factor for the conduct that is expected of an NHL player.”
The Blackhawks are “extremely disappointed” in Shaw’s actions and in a statement the team said that Shaw’s comments “do not reflect what we stand for in an organisation.”
“We are proud to have an inclusive and respectful environment, and to support various initiatives such as the You Can Play Project and the Chicago Gay Hockey Association. We will use this opportunity to further educate our players and organization moving forward, so that we all may learn from it.”
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