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Employee Fired After Sending Racist Text to WNBA Star
2 Sep
Summary
- Acclaro Medical employee fired after racist text to Dearica Hamby.
- Employee identified via social media after Hamby shared sender's number.
- WNBA faces ongoing issues of online hate speech and player safety.
An employee of Acclaro Medical was fired just over a week after sending a racist text message to Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby. The employee was identified by fans after Hamby posted a screenshot of the text, including the sender's phone number, on social media on August 24.
Acclaro Medical confirmed the termination on September 1, stating the employee had been suspended pending an investigation. The company issued a statement condemning racism and assuring that the remarks did not reflect their values. The incident began when Hamby shared the offensive message, which contained a racial slur and called her an animal, asking her followers to identify the number.
Internet users quickly identified the sender by reverse-searching the number and alerted Acclaro Medical. This situation is part of a larger pattern of online abuse targeting WNBA players. Earlier in July, Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces experienced similar harassment, leading to the termination of a Hilton Grand Vacations employee. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas also reported receiving death threats and racial slurs after a game in June.
In response to these incidents, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has stated that the league vehemently condemns all forms of hate and prioritizes player safety. She acknowledged the unacceptable experiences of players like Thomas and emphasized that such behavior is not representative of the WNBA community.
