Police investigation into Utah women’s basketball allegations finds audio containing racial slur

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A police investigation into allegations that the Utah women’s basketball team was subjected to "racial hate crimes" while in Idaho for the NCAA women’s tournament last month has turned up evidence that "corroborates" players’ testimony, law enforcement said Thursday. 

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department issued an update confirming that detectives have gathered approximately 35 hours of video evidence from businesses in the area, noting that not all the footage contained audio. 

Players and staff on the Utah bench react toward the end of a second-round college basketball game against Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Washington, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

But in one piece of evidence, police say a "racial slur was clearly audible." 

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"Some of the surveillance video/audio corroborates what was reported by members of the basketball program and detectives are currently working to locate any additional evidence," police said in a news release. 

"We’ve identified an audio recording where the use of a racial slur was clearly audible. We’re working to determine the context and conduct associated with its use to determine if it is a violation of the law. While we’re still reviewing evidence, it appears the use of a racial slur occurred more than one time." 

Following Utah's loss to Gonzaga in the second round of the tournament on March 25, Utes coach Lynne Roberts said her team had experienced a series of hate crimes after arriving at their hotel in Coeur d’Alene.

Utah head coach Lynne Roberts speaks during a press conference after their NCAA Tournament game against