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Wednesday 13 March 2019

NHL: Maple

Leafs' Reilly FARIED

didn't utter

gay slur at WHEELING

official

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto
Maple Leafs defenseman
Morgan Rielly didn't direct
a gay slur at referee Brad
Meier during the game
against the Tampa Bay
Lightning, the NHL said
Tuesday after an investiga-
tion.
Television cameras picked
up what sounded like a slur
with 1:51 left in the second
period when Rielly and
Tampa Bay's Yanni Gourde
skated into Toronto's de-
fensive zone.
The NHL launched an in-
vestigation shortly after the
Lightning's 6-2 win on Mon-
day night when clips be-
gan appearing on social
media.
"League officials inter-
viewed several of the par-
ticipants in the game —
including Rielly and Meier
— and reviewed video of
the alleged incident. All
of those interviewed ada-
mantly denied that Rielly
uttered a slur and the au-
dio supported their state-
ments," Colin Campbell,
the NHL's executive vice
president and director of
hockey operations, said in
a statement.
"The National Hockey
League does not tolerate
language or gestures that
disparage anyone based
on their race, creed or sex-
ual orientation and contin-
ues to work to ensure that
our games are played in a
welcoming atmosphere for
all of our players, coaches
officials and fans."
The league didn't say if the Rockets extends win streak to 9 games
slur had been used, just
that it wasn't uttered by Ri-
elly. The 25-year-old joined
Maple Leafs general man- Houston Rockets' Kenneth Faried (35) dunks the ball as Charlotte Hornets' Willy Hernangomez (41) and Dwayne Bacon watch during
ager Kyle Dubas at a press the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 11, 2019, in Houston.
conference Tuesday. Associated Press
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