UNC Women's basketball coach, Hatchell, accused of racist remarks, pushing injured players to play



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North Carolina women's basketball head coach Sylvia Hatchell repeatedly made offensive racist remarks and tried to force the players to face serious injuries, reported Thursday night. Washington Post.

Hatchell and three of his assistants were put on paid administrative leave on Monday, as the university launched an internal review of "the culture of the women's basketball program and the experience of our student-athletes." In announcing the exam, the school cited "problems raised by student and other students", but did not specify what these problems were.

The post office report, which quotes six parents of the current UNC players and another person having knowledge of the investigation, dates complaints against Hatchell for the 2017-18 season. During this campaign, Hatchell suggested players play a "war song" in the honor of an assistant coach, Tracey Williams-Johnson, with a partial lineage of Native Americans. The report adds that after his victory against Howard last season, Hatchell told his team that she would be "hanging on dark trees" if she achieved a similar performance in her next match against Louisville.

The newspaper stated that parents who had heard of Hatchell's remark differed in their memories from the coach's specific words, but agreed that they included "noose" and "tree". Hatchell's lawyer, Wade Smith, told La Poste that his client had said, "They'll take us a rope and tie us up, and get us out of bed."

"There is no racist bone in his body," Smith said. "A very high percentage of the people who have played for her and love her are African-Americans, she is a great coach and a world-class human being."

According to the Post, parents who met with UNC administrators on March 28 also expressed concern about three players – Emily Junior Sullivan, rookie Kennedy Boyd and junior Redshirt Stephanie Watts – sustained injuries poorly treated. In the case of Sullivan, says the newspaper. she waited nearly two years to get surgery on an injured shoulder after the team doctor, Harry Stafford, told her that the Tar Heels needed her to play and he had assured that she would not require any operation.

Boyd's parents, who had suffered a concussion during an exhibition match before this season, allegedly claimed that Hatchell had asked their daughter "if she had a concussion or if she had had a headache. Brain injury after the rookie missed several weeks of training Watts injured Stafford and the team coaches repeatedly insisted on his knee during a match in February, hoping to regain his condition After an ACC match with Watts still injured, Hatchell reportedly told the player that the WNBA scouts were in the crowd and they "want to see if she can play through the pain."

The Raleigh News & Observer reported Thursday night that Boyd and Watts had registered their names on the NCAA transfer portal, indicating that they were examining other schools. The newspaper reported that Sullivan had also inscribed his name on the portal last February, but then withdrew it. Jocelyn Jones, Redshirt's second-year guard, and Destinee Walker, Redshirt's young guard, also named their names on the transfer portal, the newspaper reported.

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"As we announced on Monday, we are conducting a review to assess the culture of our women's basketball program and the experience of our student-athletes," said the spokesperson. University word, Steve Kirschner, to Fox News in an email. "We will have no more comments until the exam is over and we have all the facts." Carolina is committed to ensuring the well-being of her student athletes and to ensure that they have the best possible experience, whether in competition or outside. "

Hatchell has not responded to Fox News' requests for comment, but said in a statement Monday that she would fully cooperate with this review.

"I have had the privilege of coaching over 200 young women over my 44 years of basketball," said Hatchell. "My goal has always been to help them become the best people on the basketball court and in life.

"I love all the players I have trained and I would do anything to encourage and support them. They are like family for me. I love them all."

Click for more The Washington Post.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

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