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After receiving a disturbing text message, Dearica Hamby turned to the internet to try to determine who sent it. Brian Fluharty / Getty Images
A person believed to have sent a racist text message to Dearica Hamby of the Los Angeles Sparks late last month lost their job, the person’s former employer confirmed to The Athletic on Wednesday.
Acclaro Medical, a medical device company in Smithfield, R.I., issued a statement alluding to a “deeply disturbing situation on social media.” The company followed with a statement Wednesday that said, in part, “The matter has since been resolved by the company’s HR and Legal teams, and the employee is no longer with Acclaro.”
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The situation began Aug. 24, when Hamby posted a screenshot of the offensive text message to her verified X account. It read, “Dirty ass n—–. They should put you in a zoo. Animal,” and included an image of a monkey.
In her post with the image, Hamby asked, “Anyone know this number?”
Within an hour of her post, people replied with biographical details of someone evidently linked to the number on the screenshot. Acclaro Medical was identified as the texter’s possible employer.
On Aug. 25, USA Today reported that Acclaro Medical said an employee had been suspended while an investigation was ongoing. When asked for the former employee’s name, Acclaro told The Athletic, “We have no further information to add at this time.”
A WNBA spokesperson issued the following statement: “The WNBA stands unequivocally with Dearica Hamby and condemns the racist abuse directed at her in the strongest possible terms. We are committed to holding anyone who engages in such abhorrent behavior accountable, and this individual will be permanently banned from all league games and events.”
“The Los Angeles Sparks stand unequivocally with Dearica Hamby and condemn the racist abuse directed at her in the strongest possible terms, a Sparks spokesperson said in a statement. “This abhorrent behavior has no place in our game or our society. We support the WNBA’s decision to permanently ban this individual from all league games and events and remain committed to supporting Dearica and all of our players.”
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Women’s National Basketball Players Association leaders met before the All-Star Game to discuss the rise in vitriolic online messages that players receive. It came in response to multiple players sharing racist and harassing text messages they’ve received this season.
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A person who allegedly sent Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray a racist slur in a social media message was fired by Hilton Grand Vacations in July. Like Hamby, Gray posted a screenshot of the message and other online users seemingly tracked down the messenger.
Alyssa Thomas, a veteran with the Phoenix Mercury, and her teammate and partner DeWanna Bonner also revealed they had received racist messages and death threats through social media following Thomas’ flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark during a game against the Indiana Fever in June.
Mercury guard Kahleah Copper, Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams and Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud have also spoken about receiving hateful messages.
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