Wrongly Accused Game Announcer Files Lawsuit Over Racial Slur Incident

An Oklahoma sports announcer wrongly accused of making racially charged remarks at a high school basketball team has filed a new lawsuit. News 9's Anjelicia Bruton has the story.

Friday, April 2nd 2021, 5:49 pm

By: Anjelicia Bruton

An Oklahoma sports announcer wrongly accused of making racially charged remarks at a high school basketball team has filed a new lawsuit.

Scott Sapulpa is suing several outlets for thousands following last month's game.

Sapulpa filed a lawsuit alleging he was misidentified as making racist comments towards the Norman High School girls’ basketball team when they decided to kneel during the national anthem.

In the lawsuit, Sapulpa said when the comments were made, he was immediately shocked with Matt Rowan's comments.

The lawsuit said that an employee Cameron Jourdan with The Oklahoman learned about the remarks and reported that official sources told them it was Scott Sapulpa. It states:

"Jourdan and The Oklahoman were eager to "break the news" and in their self-interested fury, failed to conduct even the minimum due-diligence to fact-check the very life altering story that they were publishing."

The lawsuit said the article was shared to thousands and several other news outlets picked up the story. Salpulpa said despite Rowan admitting to the comments later that day the damage was already done. In the lawsuit it states:

“Now, Sapulpa has been labeled as a racist on a national level, he has been virtually terminated from his job as a teacher and coach, he has received numerous hate calls and messages, he has been threatened with physical harm and death, he has been shunned from his community."

Sapulpa is suing The Oklahoman, The National Federation of State High School Network, CBS Sports along with reporters and Rowan.