US basketball player racially abused by Chinese fans

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Web Desk
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Sonny Weems playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers at the Chinese Basketball Association. — AFP/File
Sonny Weems playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers at the Chinese Basketball Association. — AFP/File

  • In a video circulating on social media, basketball fans can be seen hurling the "N-word" at the athlete.
  • Weems is seen exiting the team bus when a crowd of fans hurl racist slurs at him.
  • The fans tell the player to “get out of China."


American basketball player Sonny Weems has been subjected to racial abuse from fans while playing in China, Vice reported on Thursday.

In a video circulating on social media, Chinese basketball fans can be seen hurling the "N-word" at the African-American athlete after a game.

In the video, the 35-year-old player is seen exiting the team bus along with the rest of the team when a crowd of fans can be heard yelling racist slurs. Weems can be seen ignoring the crowd.

However, as the athletes walked past the crowd, abusive words could be heard clearly, hinting towards the hatred for the player.

The fans told the player to “get out of China."

The incident took place on Wednesday night after Weems engaged in a courtside fight with a Chinese member of the team Liaoning Flying Leopards. Both were taken out of the court and faced penalties.