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Antisemitic statement storm: Miami shuns Myers Leonard, his wife is receiving threats

The hit player's offensive statement continues to make waves in the United States: Spolstra and Islam "do not forgive", his partner under attack on social media, the Jewish football star in the message.

And there are those who wonder why LeBron escaped punishment in a similar case

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• Myers Leonard

• Antisemitism

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Thursday, 11 March 2021, 11:44 Updated: 11:53

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Does not get off the headlines.

Myers Leonard (Photo: GettyImages, Scott Taetsch)

Myers Leonard's antisemitic statement storm continues to make headlines in the United States.

As you may recall, the Miami midfielder was documented slapping the nickname "Dog Jew" during another video game in which he took part, in a video that went viral and caused a hit to suspend him from activity and the NBA to open an investigation against him.

Leonard posted an apology on his Instagram page yesterday (Wednesday), but criticism against him continues, both from members of the Jewish community and from those who remember how that Leonard was the only actor who refused to kneel while playing the American anthem last season, in protest of police brutality against blacks.

Various sports studios have dealt extensively with Leonard's case, and commentators such as Kendrick Perkins and Shannon Sharp have accused him of hypocrisy, claiming that even his apology letter in which he claimed he did not know the meaning of the abusive word he used was inappropriate.

Today Miami returned to training for the first time since the incident, and coach Eric Spolstra and veteran captain Judonis Islam addressed the incident.

"It's very disappointing," Spolstra said.

"The words Myers chose are very painful, they are unbearable and unforgivable. He has so much to do to atone for it."

More on Walla!

The apology did not help: Myers Leonard was suspended from Miami following the antisemitic statement

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Spolstra criticized Leonard and said "words have meaning. He uttered words irresponsibly, and now we are the ones who have to bear the consequences," but in the same breath he also said "he should not be erased."

"We know Myers very well. He's a great teammate, he's a good person. He was offensive and pointless. It's a disappointing day for me. But I talked to him, and I know he's very sorry about what happened. You can not sweep it under the rug, and also. He understands that. "

Judonis Islam added that "this is a very unfortunate case. In the age of social media, anything can spread like wildfire. What Myers said is very unfortunate for us, it is unbearable."

Islam explained that Leonard's statements should not tarnish Miami as a team, having been at the forefront of NBA players' activism in the black protest.

"We always want to be on the right side of the equation. In this case, I hurt Myers' statement. I have a lot of Jewish friends. Some even call me Judonis Haselberg. After the incident, I turned to some of them to know how they felt. I wanted to make sure they were okay and make it clear that we They completely renounce what he said. "

Islam claimed he had never heard Leonard use abusive expressions towards Jews or in general.

"I have never encountered racist or abusive behavior in his case. I was very surprised because he never expressed himself that way when I was next to him."

More on Walla!

The apology did not help: Myers Leonard was suspended from Miami following the antisemitic statement

To the full article

"Inviting you to a Shabbat meal, see what quality time is."

Julian Edelman (Photo: AP)

Last night, Jewish football star Julian Edelman published a letter in which he personally addressed Leonard.

"We've never met, and I hope we can do it one day. I'm sure you've been criticized for what you said, I'm not trying to add, I just want to offer some perspective. I get the impression you did not say it out of hatred, but more ignorance - but hatred "It's like a virus. Even if it was said by mistake, it can spread. I'm in Miami often, I'll invite you to a Shabbat meal and show you what quality time is."

Some of Leonard's signed advertising districts have been canceled since the incident, and in the last day his partner has also suffered severe insults on social media.

The reactions to Leonard's wife

(Photo: Screenshot, from Instagram)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elle Leonard (@elleleonard)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elle Leonard (@elleleonard)

Among the many condemnations and Leonard's statement, there were also those who pointed to two-facedness.

Commentator Skip Bales, a well-known critic of LeBron James, wondered why Leonard was punished while the Lakers star, who in 2018 quoted lines from a rap song dealing with "Jewish money" and was not punished.

LeBron's affair ended at the time with only an apology, even though the post he posted on social media included the sentence: "We get the Jewish money, everything is kosher."

"I apologize if I hurt anyone," LeBron said at the time.

"That's not why I chose to share the lyrics. I always share songs. That's what I do. I drive my car and listen to great music, and that was a result of it. In fact, I thought it was a compliment and obviously a lot of people think it is not. I apologize. That was certainly not the intention to hurt anyone. "

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