Cal forward Fardaws Aimaq, whose parents are Afghan refugees, rushed into the stands and confronted a fan who allegedly taunted him as a "terrorist," the university said Wednesday.
In a video widely circulated on social media, Aimaq can be seen climbing into the stands and then walking up to a young man who is much shorter than the 6-foot-11 player.
"You wanna talk? Do you want to talk about it? Emmack appeared to say to the young fan after the game in which UTEP thrashed the Grizzlies, 75-72, in a game played in San Juan Capistrano.
It's unclear if the young fan responded, and Emack backed away before the argument escalated.
Cal coach Mark Madsen said he has asked organizers of the Southern California Challenge to ban the fan from the game.
"Obviously, we are very concerned about last night's incident involving Fados," Madsen said in a statement." We are proud of the way Fados handled the situation and we are working with the tournament organizers to resolve the issue."
Canadian-born Emack has been outspoken about his family's refugee experience. He said he hopes to use his platform to draw attention to the plight of refugees around the world.
"I just want to be a voice for people who don't have a voice," Emack said in an interview with ESPN earlier this year." I want to show people that refugees are just like everyone else. We're all just trying to get by.
The incident with the fan is the latest in a series of racist incidents involving college athletes. In recent years, there have been reports of fans using racial slurs, throwing objects at players and making monkey gestures.
These incidents have prompted calls for increased security at college sporting events. Some schools have also implemented policies that allow for the ejection of fans who make racist or discriminatory comments.
The incident in which Cal fans allegedly taunted Emack is a reminder that racism is still alive and well in our society. It is important to remember that words can hurt and that everyone has the right to feel safe and respected.
