Staff Reports
PHOENIX — The Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Executive Board on Tuesday placed Coolidge High School’s entire athletic department on probation for 365 days, barring all Coolidge teams from postseason competition, following allegations that spectators directed racial taunts and at least one spitting incident at Chinle High School players during Friday night’s 3A boys basketball quarterfinal.
The decision, announced under AIA Bylaw 16.1, comes after the association said it reviewed reports of discriminatory behavior before, during, and after the game, as well as issues involving crowd management.
The probation means Coolidge will be ineligible for any further playoff games this school year and will face heightened scrutiny for the next 12 months.
The allegations surfaced immediately after Chinle’s quarterfinal contest against Coolidge. Chinle players and fans reported being subjected to repeated racial slurs from spectators in the stands.
State Rep. Myron Tsosie, D-Chinle, said he received video evidence and firsthand accounts from the Chinle community describing “racially abusive language” directed at the players.
“Our students and fans should not have to endure this kind of behavior and be made to feel unsafe at what is supposed to be a fun, exciting, and positive experience,” Tsosie said in a statement released Saturday.
Navajo Nation Council Delegate Andy Nez, who represents the Chinle area, launched his own investigation and told the Navajo Times that he viewed a video showing one Chinle player being spat upon.
“Just by the body language, you could clearly see that there was a moment where one of our student-athletes was spat on,” Nez said. He described the broader pattern as “racial profiling” and suggested similar racial overtones may have been present in a separate recent incident involving the Mattingly family at a Central-O’Connor game.
“It’s unfortunate that we hear these types of circumstances that put our students and fans in jeopardy,” Nez said. “We’re still in the 21st century, and we’re still in the Southwest, where there’s predominantly a lot of Native population, and it’s ridiculous to think about what our students have to experience and endure because of their identity.”
Nez called for Coolidge to be removed from the playoffs entirely.
The AIA initially responded Saturday with a statement acknowledging the gravity of the situation and confirming it was gathering reports from all parties.
“The AIA is actively looking into the serious situation that occurred at the boys’ basketball playoff game between Chinle and Coolidge on Friday night,” the association said at the time. “Pending the results of the investigation, the AIA will use its bylaws to address any findings. The association will not tolerate any discriminatory words or actions toward teams and fans.”
The swift probation decision marks one of the strongest penalties the AIA has imposed in recent years for fan behavior at a high-school athletic event. Coolidge school officials have not yet issued a public response.
Chinle, a school on the Navajo Nation, fell to Coolidge in the quarterfinal, 53-64. The team and its community have received an outpouring of support from across Arizona and the Navajo Nation since the allegations became public.
The AIA said its investigation remains open and that additional sanctions could be imposed if further violations are uncovered during the probation period.
