On June 24th, 2020, the Oakland Athletics announced that they had dismissed their longtime broadcaster Glen Kuiper from their broadcasting team following a racial slur he made on air. Kuiper had been with the team since 1995 and was a beloved member of the organization.
The incident occurred during a game between the Athletics and the Houston Astros when Kuiper made a comment about Astros pitcher Framber Valdez. Kuiper said, “Valdez has been absolutely Teutonic in his dominance.” The word “Teutonic” is an outdated term that was used to describe people of German descent and has been used as a racial slur against people of African descent.
The Athletics released a statement shortly after the incident saying that they were “shocked and disappointed” by Kuiper’s comment and that they had immediately dismissed him from the team. The statement also said that the organization does not condone any form of racism or discrimination and that they are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all of their fans, players, and employees.
Kuiper has since apologized for his comment, saying that he was unaware of the connotations of the word and that he did not intend to offend anyone. He also said that he takes full responsibility for his actions and that he is deeply sorry for the hurt he has caused.
The incident has sparked a larger conversation about racism in sports and how it needs to be addressed. Many people have called on teams to take a stronger stance against racism and to make sure that their employees are educated on the issues. It is clear that racism is still an issue in sports and that more needs to be done to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity.
The dismissal of Glen Kuiper is a reminder that racism in any form will not be tolerated. The Oakland Athletics have taken a strong stance against racism and have shown that they are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all of their fans, players, and employees. It is now up to other teams to follow suit and take a stand against racism in sports.
