The Talladega women’s volleyball team reportedly withdrew from its conference tournament after a player was subjected to what was described as cyber racist abuse during an award ceremony.
The school said a player received a “racially motivated picture” during the Southern States Athletic Conference’s volleyball awards banquet last week in Montgomery, Alabama.
It is unknown what the image showed, but the conference and Talladega College indicated it was “vile and vicious” in nature.
The team left the banquet and quit the tournament, the college said in a statement issued in support of the players’ actions.
“The Talladega College women’s volleyball team walked out of the banquet in protest due to what the institution believes to be a lack of action taken around racial abuse,” according to a statement. “Our student-athletes were recipients of cyber racial abuse. The volleyball team’s decision to walk out of the banquet, and ultimately walk away from participating in the remaining tournament, is an extension of the history of which they are a part.
Talladega College president Gregory J. Vincent has since talked with the team, the statement said, and Hall said the conference was investigating what happened.
“The SSAC will not condone this type of behavior. We are very supportive of all of our student-athletes, coaches and staff from our 11 institutions. We sincerely regret that this occurrence happened,” the Southern States Athletic Conference said in a statement.
