The Charlotte Hornets have decided to part ways with radio play-by-play announcer John Focke over a tweet he sent that included a racial slur.
The Hornets announced on Thursday that Focke has been fired for violating the organization’s social media policy.
Charlotte Hornets Statement: pic.twitter.com/6FS29oU5Yj
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) September 3, 2020
Focke, who just finished his first season as a Hornets radio broadcaster, was watching a playoff game between the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets last month when he sent a tweet that included the N-word. Focke said he had no intention of tweeting the racial slur, and it seems very likely that it was a typo.
“Shot making in this Jazz-(N-word) game is awesome! Murray and Mitchell going back and forth what a game!” the tweet read.
Focke deleted the tweet and issued an apology, but the Hornets immediately suspended him and have now fired him.
Focke worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx prior to being hired by Charlotte. He also does a podcast for the Hornets’ website in addition to radio play-by-play announcing. He’s not the first person in the sports community we have seen face serious disciplinary action for using a racial slur, though his typo seemed like an honest mistake.
