The College Fix

Racial slur allegations ended in brawl

There is “absolutely no evidence” to the racial slur allegations at a New Jersey wrestling meet – accusations which ended in a brawl involving the state’s top wrestler.

West Deptford School District Superintendent Brian Gismondi defended fans of the wrestling team against the allegations, following an investigation. He said, “there is absolutely no evidence or testimony supporting these serious and defamatory allegations.”

“Our students, fans and coaching staff were in close proximity to security personnel and law enforcement throughout the event,” Gismondi (pictured) stated, as reported by the Courier Post. “At no point was anyone from our district addressed for inappropriate comments or behavior.”

The match occurred on Feb. 22 between West Deptford and St. John Vianney High School.

“It is disappointing that our school district has been implicated in an incident that originated outside our community,” Gismondi stated. “We remain committed to ensuring that our students and fans are not placed in harm’s way.”
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association reached a similar conclusion after it reported receiving zero complaints.

The February match created its own problems for St. John Vianney and the NJSIAA.

Three-time state wrestling champion Anthony Knox Jr. entered the stands after seeing his dad engulfed in a mob. “I saw an angry mob surround my father and I made the decision to assist in his aid,” Knox said, according to NBC New York.

His dad accused West Deptford fans of using racial slurs, which led to the fight.

CBS New York reported on Knox’s comments:

I saw a bunch of grown men yelling racial slurs at kids that I’ve been training since they were 6 years old, cursing at my son, cursing at my wife…

…As a man, I walked over, walked up into the stands, and asked the guy to stop. At that point, I was assaulted. Never threw a punch. Never hurt anybody. Never ran up there like a bat out of hell, just throwing punches at people. None of that happened. I got pushed down the bleachers. I could have gotten seriously injured. Then I got surrounded by about 10 other families.

The state athletic association initially banned Knox Jr. from further competition. However, a judge issued a temporary restraining order allowing the wrestler to continue to compete in the postseason as the case is litigated.

Racial slur allegations at sporting events regularly fall apart as reported by The College Fix. In just the past few years, allegations of racial slurs have been disproven against fans at Brigham Young University, Illinois State University, and Guilford College.

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