A high school basketball announcer took some heat after a video of him using racial slurs towards a group of girl’s basketball players in Oklahoma went viral. And now, the announcer is speaking out on the incident as he released a statement. Matt Rowan said he has “Type 1 Diabetes” and his “sugar was spiking” when he made the comments.
“During the Norman High School girls basketball game against Midwest City, I made inappropriate and racist comments believing that the microphone was off; however, let me state immediately that is no excuse such comments should have been ever uttered,” Rowan said. “I am a family man. I am married, have two children and at one time was a youth pastor. I continue to be a member of a Baptist church. I have not only embarrassed and disappointed myself, I have embarrassed and disappointed my family and friends.
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Hey @NFHSNetwork looks like you forgot to cut the Mic!!! “F****** N******” is the one that really got me!! Tell us how you really feel!! THIS IS WHY THEY KNEEL!!!@Migliorino_Nick @tohara_o @NHS_AthDept @gonormantigers pic.twitter.com/mmWQAecLaF
— Frankie Parks (@CoachFParks) March 12, 2021
“I will state that I suffer Type 1 Diabetes and during the game my sugar was spiking,” Rowan continued. While not excusing my remarks it is not unusual when my sugar spikes that I become disoriented and often say things that are not appropriate as well as hurtful. I do not believe that I would have made such horrible statements absent my sugar spiking.”
The game was being broadcast on the NFHS Network, and the company issued a statement. “We apologize for and are sickened by the comments made last night at the start of our broadcast of the OSSAA girls basketball game between Norman High School and Midwest City High School. The thoughts expressed in no way represent our network, and we are outraged that they found their way into the production. We are aggressively investigating the incident and have immediately cut ties with the third-party production crew that was involved.”
The NFHS Network went on to say that it “condemns racism, hate and discrimination.” The network also issued an apology “to the students, their families, and the entire community for having such ignorant and hurtful comments expressed during the broadcast.”
