BYU finds no evidence of racial slur at Duke volleyball game

Last week, Duke volleyball player Rachel Richardson claimed she was called a racial slur during a game with Brigham Young University (BYU), on August 26. A new comprehensive report from BYU says there is zero evidence that a racial slur was uttered.

Outkick reported on the story's update and site founder Clay Travis said, "After an exhaustive investigation, BYU announces they have found zero evidence of any racial slur & they apologized to the fan who was kicked out, saying he did nothing wrong. This was Jussie Smollett on a volleyball court. Duke should be ashamed."

As the events happened on August 26, Richardson claimed she heard the slur from the bleachers of BYU Cougars student section as she was serving. Richardson told her Duke coach, Jolene Nagel, who told BYU coach Heather Olmstead. Later Richardson would say the slurs were loudest during the fourth set.

After BYU was informed, police and ushers rushed into the section and ejected a fan, who wasn't a student and was also mentally handicapped, that Richardson fingered as the culprit. That fan was also banned.

As of Friday, after the investigation, the ban was lifted.

BYU’s statement read, "From our extensive review, we have not found any evidence to corroborate the allegation that fans engaged in racial heckling or uttered racial slurs at the event. As we stated earlier, we would not tolerate any conduct that would make a student-athlete feel unsafe. That is the reason for our immediate response and our thorough investigation."

While NBC, CNN, ESPN, USA Today, and others, originally ran with the story as absolute truth, it was investigated and disproven within 72 hours. On August 30, BYU's Cougar Chronicle ran a comprehensive investigation concluding the event did not happen.

The first report on the hoax came on August 30 when BYU's Cougar Chronicle ran a comprehensive investigation that found the slur never occurred. They spoke with an extensive list of people seated in the student section where the slur was alleged to be shouted and not a single witness said it happened.

One witness, too scared to identify themselves publicly, explained what actually happened and said "BYU banned an innocent man to appease the mob and make their PR mess go away."

The man BYU had banned was a mentally handicapped who was never seated in the student section of shouted racial slurs. Rather he was found "interfering with visiting guests" and as his voice carried, the Duke players said it was he who made the slurs.

"There is zero evidence of a slur being said. Not a single witness, besides Ms. Richardson, has come forth."

Further, Salt Lake Tribune released a report saying there was no racial slur and separate reports from the BYU Campus and BYU athletic department substantiated that the word was not said.

The hate hoax gained momentum when Richardson's godmother, Lesa Pamplin, posted the allegation on social media. Pamplin, whose Twitter is now private because she was outed as an open racist, is a current political candidate running for Judge in Fort Worth, Texas.

BYU alum and podcast Backseat Directors host André Hutchens posted a screencap of her original allegation which read, "My Goddaughter is the only black starter for Dukes volleyball team. While playing yesterday, she was called a n*gger every time she served. She was threatened by a white male that told her to watch her back going to the team bus. A police officer had to be put by their bench."

A history of Pamplin's posts reveal a long commentary on race that includes, "you poor white motherf*ckers can't take it," "white women & men always disappoint," "Would expect nothing less from a pale white chic. Sit down Becky," and many similar remarks.