Duke says it ‘stands with’ women’s volleyball team after racism allegations appear to collapse

Duke University came out in support of its women’s volleyball athletes after a major investigation appeared to disprove their claims that they had been the victim of targeted racial slurs at a recent match with Brigham Young University.

Duke volleyball player Rachel Richardson had claimed that at a volleyball match against BYU last month she and her fellow black teammates had been subject to protracted racial slurs while playing the game. The allegations resulted in nationwide controversy and also led to BYU banning a spectator it said was responsible for the slurs. 

On Thursday, Brigham Young announced that an "extensive review" of the incident has produced no evidence to substantiate the claims. 

The university said it had consulted "all available video and audio recordings, including security footage and raw footage from all camera angles taken by BYUtv of the match," as well as interviews with 50 individuals including "Duke athletic department personnel and student-athletes, BYU athletic department personnel and student-athletes, event security and management and fans who were in the arena that evening."

Following that claim, Duke appeared to strike a defensive tone, declining to remark on BYU’s investigation and instead released a short statement in support of its women’s volleyball team. 

"The 18 members of the Duke University volleyball team are exceptionally strong women who represent themselves, their families, and Duke University with the utmost integrity," university Vice President & Director of Athletics Nina King said in the statement.

"We unequivocally stand with and champion them, especially when their character is called into question," King added. "Duke Athletics believes in respect, equality and inclusiveness, and we do not tolerate hate and bias."

King finished her statement with the hashtag "HateWontLiveHere."