While discussing his team's poor performance in the first half of the EuroBasket 2013 semifinals against Spain, Tony Parker complained that France was like playing like "tapettes" which translates to "fags" or "sissies."
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"J'ai l'impression qu'on avait peur, qu'on jouait comme des tapettes ("I feel we were afraid, we were playing as fags.")," said Parker, a French Native, during the videotaped conference.
Parker, who expressed support for out player Jason Collins in April, apologized for using the slur during a later press conference.
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"I'd like to apologize to the gay community. I did not want to offend them. If I have offended the gay community. I apologize. It was not my intention at all. It is not right to say what I said. I'm sorry. And apologize."
Had Parker, who also plays for the San Antonio Spurs, used such a slur during a NBA game, he likely would have been fined for the comment. This June, Roy Hibbert of the Indiana Pacers was fined $75,000 for saying "no homo" during a press conference.
In the last three years, the NBA has fined Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudamire, Joakim Noah between $50,000-$100,00 for using gay slurs.
