Reaction to controversial chants at McKale Center | News

TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – The McKale Center was filled with tension Saturday night as the University of Arizona men’s basketball team narrowly fell to Brigham Young University in a 96-95 thriller. However, the game’s final score wasn’t the only thing making headlines.

Following the Wildcats’ heartbreaking loss, some fans in the crowd directed derogatory chants at BYU, specifically targeting the school’s religious affiliation. BYU is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church.

For Anne Gibson, a member of the LDS community, the incident was deeply upsetting.

“Ironically enough, a decent number of the Arizona community, including U of A students like my husband, are members of the Church of Latter-day Saints,” Gibson said.

In the wake of the controversy, the University of Arizona swiftly issued multiple statements condemning the chants. U of A Vice President and Athletic Director Desireé Reed-Francois apologized on behalf of the athletic department.

“On behalf of the University of Arizona Athletic Department, we apologize to BYU, their student-athletes, coaches, and fans,” Reed-Francois stated. “The chant is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened.”

The university’s student section, ZonaZoo, also addressed the incident, emphasizing that the actions of a few do not represent the 14,000 members of its organization.

“The actions by students after Arizona vs. BYU were unacceptable & are not reflective of the 14,000 ZonaZoo members or our ZonaZoo crew,” the statement read. “We have taken steps on our end to address the situation internally to prevent future incidents like this from ever happening again.”

U of A senior Adan Baca expressed his disappointment in the behavior, saying that religious beliefs should never be targeted at a sporting event.

“It’s a big part of people’s identity,” Baca said. “We have no right to judge them, just as they have no right to judge us.”

For Gibson, the university’s response was reassuring.

“It wasn’t just dismissed as ‘Oh, it’s a sporting event, it’s fine,’” she said. “It meant a lot to see the reaction and know we can move forward with respect.”

Gibson hopes the focus can remain on the love of the game rather than divisive behavior.

“Basketball is meant to be fun,” she said. “I hope we can keep it that way.”

The No. 22-ranked Wildcats now turn their attention to their next challenge as they prepare to host the Utah Utes at home on Wednesday.