Stoudemire had sent the slur as a private message (Photo: Keith Allison)The NBA, America’s top professional basketball association, has fined New York Knicks player Amar’e Stoudemire for privately sending a fan an anti-gay slur on Twitter.
Stoudemire, a power forward and centre player for the New York team, was fined $50,000, around £32,000 for calling a fan a ‘fag’.
The fan in question, Brian Ferrelli, had sent a tweet to the basketball player saying he had “better come back a lot stronger and quicker to make up for this past season”.
Stoudemire reacted angrily in a private message to the fan, saying: “Fuck you. I don’t have to do anything fag.”
The NBA said the message was “offensive and derogatory”.
Stoudmire had reportedly sent the fan a second direct message saying: “I apologise for what I said earlier. I just got off the plane and had time to think about it. Sorry bro!! No excuses. Won’t happen again.”
Mr Ferrelli wrote on Twitter subsequently: “Amar’e did his part out of anger then apologised and I did my part out of anger and I’m still a huge fan of him. Everyone can shut up now.”
He has received messages of support and criticism on Twitter for making the gay slur public.
Related articles
19 June 2012Gay former footballer to tweet on Ukraine's anti-gay bill during England game 0
19 May 201250 Cent is 100% for gay marriage but not gay men that touch 'your little buns' in elevators 101
15 May 2012Telegraph Blogs editor 'did not accidentally tweet outcome of Catholic schools investigation' 64
10 May 2012Footballer baffled by reaction of Twitter 'fruits' to gay comments 60
9 May 2012Man who received anti-gay Twitter abuse from footballer puts on charity match 3
8 May 2012Wrestler apologises for telling man 'sickened' by gays to kill himself 75
29 March 2012Carson Daly apologises for gay joke 40
28 March 2012US footballer suspended and fined for homophobic tweet 11
19 March 2012Live tweets to follow sexual health check men tomorrow 11
2 March 2012Newcastle United player fined £6,000 for anti-gay tweet 48
23 February 2012FA fines Ravel Morrison £7,000 for gay slur tweet 38-
15 February 2012FA charges Ravel Morrison on anti-gay tweet 35
