A university in Illinois is reportedly investigating racially charged threats against a college basketball player after a stunning March Madness loss.
Kofi Cockburn, a 21-year-old on the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign’s basketball team who originally hails from Jamaica, shared screenshots of threats sent to him after his team lost to Loyola University Chicago in a stunning upset on Sunday.
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“Go back home ya bum,” the remark appeared read. “F—ing lost to Loyola. Go sit your monkey a– on the couch.”
“I blame his parents,” Cockburn wrote in response to the message in an Instagram story.
Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn called out a racist comment left on his social media page after his team’s loss to Loyola Chicago. pic.twitter.com/yjMxDiQoTP
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 22, 2021
An Illinois spokesman told ESPN the school has spoken with Cockburn and is looking into the situation.
Cockburn’s post came one day after an Ohio State University player shared racially-charged messages he received. E.J. Liddell, the team’s forward, posted screenshots of death threats in a tweet on Saturday.
“Honestly, what did I do to deserve this? I’m human,” Liddell wrote in response to messages telling him he was a “f—ing disgrace” and a “goofy a– n—-.”
Honestly, what did I do to deserve this? I’m human. pic.twitter.com/djXzhSH0q8
— E.J. Liddell (@EasyE2432) March 20, 2021
Ohio State Athletics Director Gene Smith expressed support for Liddell and vowed to contact authorities whenever players are harassed in a statement on Twitter.
“The threatening social media attack E.J. Liddell faced after the game yesterday is appalling and will not be tolerated. … If you cross the line and threaten our players, you will be hearing from the authorities. That I promise you,” Smith wrote.
I will support our student-athletes in and out of competition!
I have nothing but love and respect for E.J. He epitomizes all that we hope for in our student-athletes. pic.twitter.com/BxejMWvo1x
— Gene Smith (@OSU_AD) March 20, 2021
Chris Holtmann, the team’s head coach, echoed Smith’s sentiments, calling Liddell an “outstanding young man” who was “instrumental in [the] team’s success.”
— Chris Holtmann (@ChrisHoltmann) March 20, 2021
Ohio State University, which lost to Oral Roberts University in Sunday’s game, has reportedly contacted police to investigate the language used in the messages.
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Representatives for the University of Illinois and the National Collegiate Athletic Association did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s requests for comment.
