He said he is a type 1 diabetic and during the game his blood sugar level skyrocketed. He offered a “sincere apology” to everyone involved in the game and said that “it is not uncommon” for him to be disoriented and say inappropriate and offensive things.
“While the comments I made certainly seem to indicate that I am a racist, I am not,” he said. “I never considered myself racist and, in short, I can’t explain why I made those comments.”
The sports department of the Tahlequah Public Schools said in a statement that it hired the team to broadcast the basketball tournament, but the team is not part of Tahlequah High School or the sports department. The school system has terminated its contract with the company, Matt Cloud, athletic director of TPS, said in the statement.
CNN contacted Rowan’s lawyer for further comment, but received no response.