Racist Fan Suspended

From the ESPN article: Heckler banned for season after alleged racial slur

"The NBA and the Orlando Magic on Monday banned for the season the fan whose alleged racial slur incited Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo at a preseason game last week.

Season-ticket holder Hooman Hamzehloui allegedly called Mutombo a "monkey" Thursday in the third quarter of the Rockets-Magic game. Mutombo yelled back at Hamzehloui and gestured from the court."

Good action taken by the league and the Magic. There's no need for this at all in sports arenas. Some of the heckling gets out of hand, and that's the sort of thing that could cause another in-audience riot. It's kinda bogus to hear the guy responding to his punishment by saying he didn't know it was bad to say. He wouldnh't have chose that word if he didn't. His apology efforts do seem above and beyond though. Hopefully we see more of this sort of reprecussion in sports arenas.