Oakland A’s announcer Glen Kuiper has been suspended by the team after reportedly using a racial slur during a broadcast. According to a report from The Athletic, Kuiper used the word “chook” during the A’s game against the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
The term “chook” is a derogatory term used to describe people of Chinese descent. It is considered highly offensive and racially insensitive. The incident reportedly occurred during a discussion of A’s pitcher Wei-Chung Wang, who is from Taiwan.
The A’s quickly responded to the incident by suspending Kuiper from his announcing duties. In a statement released on Friday, the team said, “We do not tolerate bigotry or discrimination of any kind. The Oakland A’s are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all of our fans, employees, and partners.”
Kuiper, who has been with the A’s since 1996, has apologized for his use of the word, saying in a statement, “I want to apologize for my insensitive remark during Thursday night’s broadcast. It was completely inappropriate and offensive, and there is no excuse for it. I am truly sorry and will make every effort to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about racism and discrimination in sports broadcasting. Many fans and commentators have pointed out that this is not the first time a broadcaster has used racially insensitive language during a broadcast, and that more needs to be done to ensure that this type of behavior is not tolerated.
In recent years, several high-profile sports broadcasters have been fired or suspended for similar incidents. In 2018, ESPN baseball analyst Eduardo Perez apologized for using a racial stereotype during a broadcast. And in 2017, Fox Sports broadcaster Thom Brennaman was fired after he was caught on a hot mic using an anti-gay slur during a Cincinnati Reds game.
The incident involving Kuiper serves as a reminder that sports broadcasting, like all industries, must do more to ensure that racism and discrimination are not tolerated. The A’s have taken the right step by suspending Kuiper and issuing a statement condemning his language. But more work needs to be done to create a truly inclusive environment for all fans and employees, free from bigotry and discrimination.
