Alleged Racial Incident During Volleyball Match Investigated By Fairfield U. & CCSU

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield University and Central Connecticut State University are investigating an alleged racial incident that occurred during a women's volleyball match between the two schools last week.

According to a CCSU player, during the match, some people in the Fairfield student section chanted "George Floyd" toward the CCSU player.

"What started as rowdy heckling from the student section, which included many Fairfield athletes, quickly crossed a line into hatred and bigotry," the student wrote on Instagram. "During the third set, as I went back to serve, members of the student section could be heard saying, 'George Floyd.'

"To use George Floyd’s name as a way to demean me was nothing short of disgusting. To invoke a story rooted in brutality and injustice as a means of attacking someone in a sporting environment is deeply disturbing. It should never be used as a weapon against someone simply because of the color of their skin."

Floyd, who was Black, was killed in Minnesota in 2020 by former police officer Derek Chauvin, who was sentenced to more than two decades in prison. Floyd's death touched off protests worldwide over racial injustice and police brutality.

The two schools are taking the allegation seriously and are communicating during the investigation into the volleyball match.

CCSU told WFSB-TV that "sports should be a place where everyone can compete and feel they belong regardless of race."

Jennifer Anderson, vice president, Marketing and Communications, wrote in a statement sent to Patch that Fairfield University is aware of a social media.

"The audience at the game included Fairfield University students and other members of the community," Anderson wrote. "The University is actively reviewing what occurred and is in communication with the visiting institution.

"Any use of inappropriate or derogatory language is unacceptable and has no place at Fairfield University or at our athletic events.

"As a Jesuit Catholic University, Fairfield is grounded in the inherent dignity of every person and our responsibility to treat others with respect and care."