The University of Colorado has been publicly reprimanded by the Big 12 Conference and fined $50,000 for discriminatory chants during Saturday’s football game against BYU at Folsom Field.
“Hateful and discriminatory language has no home in the Big 12 Conference,” commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement. “While we appreciate Colorado apologizing for the chants that occurred in the stands during Saturday’s game, the Big 12 maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”
The chants from the Colorado student section reportedly began early with “f— BYU” and progressed to “f— the Mormons” as the game went on. BYU, founded and supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has previously been the target of similar religiously charged chants at other schools.
The University of Colorado responded Sunday with a statement from chancellor Justin Schwartz and athletic director Rick George condemning the behavior.
The University of Colorado Boulder strongly condemns the use of expletives and religious slurs by individuals in the stands during the recent football game against BYU. Such behavior is deeply disappointing and does not reflect the values of respect, inclusion and integrity we expect of our campus community.
Attending sporting events at CU Boulder is a privilege, and with that comes the responsibility to uphold our Fan Code of Conduct. The university and [CU Athletics] have a strict policy when it comes to abusive behavior, and those found to have engaged in conduct that is not consistent with our values are held accountable.
CU Boulder is committed to fostering an environment where all individuals — students, staff, faculty, alumni, opposing fans and other visitors — feel welcome and safe. Discriminatory language and hostile conduct have no place at our athletic events or anywhere on our campus.
We thank the majority of our fans who continue to support our teams with enthusiasm and respect. Together, we can ensure that CU Boulder events remain a source of pride and unity for our community and that visitors to our campus have a positive experience.
While unrelated, the incident during Saturday’s football game came the night before a shooting at a Latter-day Saints church in Michigan left at least four dead and eight hospitalized.
On the field, BYU defeated Colorado 24-21 in its first trip to Boulder since 1981, rallying from an early 14-point deficit to remain undefeated on the season.
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