The national media excitedly reported claims by a black Duke volleyball player that someone in the crowd at Brigham Young University repeatedly yelled the n-word at her. But those same media outlets suddenly went mute after an investigation failed to find evidence to support the player’s claim.
On August 26, Duke volleyball player Rachel Richardson, who is black, claimed that a white man in the stands yelled the n-word at her repeatedly during the game. Richardson also claimed that the same man told her to “watch your back” as she left BYU to get on the Duke team bus.
Richardson’s relatives insisted that the man yelled the n-word “every time Richardson served” the ball.
#morethanavolleyballplayer pic.twitter.com/JJsofA6VgI
— rachel ♡ (@rachrich03) August 28, 2022
BYU quickly banned the man Richardson pointed out and issued an apology. However, the school also launched an investigation into Richardson’s accusation and soon found that there was not a shred of evidence to prove her claims.
The BYU Police Department searched through video of the game to verify the man’s behavior. But, according to the department, they saw no evidence that the man banned by the school acted out in the way he was accused. And an officer on hand during the game also said he heard no one yelling the n-word at the time. That observation was substantiated by interviews with fans who also said they heard no such epithets during the game.
When Richardson’s accusations broke, the media went all in for the story. Interviews with players, coaches, family members, and activists filled the airwaves and news outlet websites. But once BYU’s investigations showed no evidence to support the accusations, the media suddenly turned cold on the story.
As Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn reported, nearly every news outlet covered Richardson’s accusations. From the old Big Three networks to CNN, to ESPN, and more, everyone covered the story to the hilt… until the story collapsed from lack of evidence.
Wulfsohn found that ABC News correspondent Janai Norman and George Stephanopoulos were “really impressed” with how Richardson was “handling all of this.”
In addition, ABC News published three stories on the n-word accusations. But not a single one since the investigations found no evidence to substantiate the claims.
Unsurprisingly, CNN went for the story hook, line, and sinker and broadcast numerous stories on the racial incident claims. CNN personalities, including Jim Acosta and Brianna Keilar, interviewed Richardson’s family members and pushed the story based solely on the player’s claims.
CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta arrives at US District Court in Washington, DC, on November 16, 2018, where Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to reinstate Acosta’s press credentials. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
CNN also published at least six stories on the accusations. However, none since the investigations could not prove the veracity of Richardson’s claims.
ESPN also repeated Richardson’s proclamations with commentary by Stephen A. Smith, lambasts of BYU on SportsCenter, and on-air “shows of support” by ESPN host and Duke alum Jay Williams.
Commentator Stephen A. Smith looks on prior to Game Five between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat in the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at FTX Arena on May 25, 2022, in Miami, Florida. (Eric Espada/Getty Images)
The sports news outlet also published a long list of stories on Richardson’s claim. But has since stopped covering the story and is claiming to be “waiting for the results of the investigation” to comment further, Fox noted.
It is clear that these “news” outlets were excited to give the 19-year-old Rachel Richardson all the airtime she needed to attack BYU and its fans as racists, but after the story fell apart, it was radio silence.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston
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