FEATURED
Key Takeaways
- Investigations into alleged racist comments directed at Purdue player Trey Kaufman-Renn's family during a March game against Illinois found no evidence of racism, only 'general obnoxiousness.'
- Internal emails and reports exclusively obtained by The College Fix from the University of Illinois discussed the harassment of Purdue families but confirmed no racial remarks were heard.
- Purdue has not filed a complaint regarding the incident, and both universities consider the matter closed despite the initial allegations.
Despite earlier allegations and headlines, there were no racist comments hurled at a star basketball player’s family at a game last spring, according to recently obtained documents by The College Fix discussing investigations into the matter.
Purdue University forward Trey Kaufman-Renn had said he was told after an away game against the University of Illinois in March that his 13-year-old brother was subjected to “some racist comments … as well as my family being cussed out, things like that.”
The allegations at the time prompted national headlines and a probe by the university.
However campus documents regarding the investigation into the incident by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign exclusively obtained by The Fix in late August state that officials nor police could ascertain that anything besides “general obnoxiousness” was witnessed regarding the incident.
“We discussed in our Executive Staff meeting this morning…there was a request for intervention from State Farm Center security with about 5 minutes left in Friday night’s game,” states an email to Claire Brooks, director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Division in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
The email is dated March 11, and the name of its author was redacted.
“Security personnel were called over to the section where Purdue families were sitting behind their bench because at least one Illinois student was harassing them. There was no mention of racial discrimination, just general obnoxiousness,” the email continued.
The email notes that University of Illinois police immediately obtained statements from at least one security guard and others, whose names were also redacted.
“No one heard any racial remarks during the game,” the email states. “It was only after the game that [omitted name] mentioned the racial harassment.” Although the name is redacted, it most likely refers to Kaufman-Renn.
Chris Forman, associate strategic communications director of Purdue University’s men’s basketball team, declined to comment when asked by The College Fix.
“We have no comment and consider the matter closed,” Forman told The Fix in an Aug. 27 email asking about the newly obtained documents and for Kaufman-Renn’s response.
Neither Purdue nor the University of Illinois have ever put out a statement correcting the record regarding the allegations.
The internal emails obtained by The Fix state that Josh Whitman, UIUC’s athletics director, called the athletics director at Purdue University, Mike Bobinski, at the time and apologized.
In response, Whitman was informed Purdue had no intention of filing a complaint with the Big Ten Conference and they considered the matter to be over, the email stated.
The game had taken place March 7, when the Boilermakers visited the Fighting Illini at the State Farm Center.
In a public statement issued after Kaufman-Renn’s comments, the University of Illinois stated: “Late in tonight’s game, Illinois staff was made aware of allegations of inappropriate comments made by members of the Orange Krush toward Purdue players, coaches and fans. We received additional details after the game’s conclusion. We take such allegations seriously, and we will continue gathering information to determine appropriate action. In the meantime, we have been in touch with Purdue to apologize and express our disappointment.”
The Orange Krush is a registered student organization that attends games to cheer on UIUC athletic teams. They are given reserved seats as part of the program. As previously reported by The Fix, the group was “unaware” of the allegations.
“I just hope the security, especially at Illinois, can be better,” Kaufman-Renn had said at the time. “I guess that’s all I have to say, because I told him afterward, that’s something I would fight over. In no way is that saying anything about all Illinois fans, but unfortunately, the students that participated in that. The fact that my brother would be put in that situation is really unbelievable.”
According to a May 5 incident report obtained by The Fix, both the campus police and event staff employees “have reviewed this matter and reinforced expectations regarding behavior identified.”
Purdue’s Office of Communications, and its Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Communications, did not respond to requests from The College Fix seeking comment.
