Cal Issues Statement Regarding Fardaws Aimaq-Fan Confrontation at SoCal Challenge
Cal head coach Mark Madsen states Aimaq was subject of abusive language during the Cal-UTEP game
California forward Fardaws Aimaq confronted a fan at the Pavilion earlier this week, where the Golden Bears are currently competing in the pre-season SoCal Challenge tournament.
“Throughout and after Monday’s game, Fardaws Aimaq was allegedly subjected to abhorrent and offensive comments from a fan — including being called a terrorist,” California head coach Mark Madsen said in a statement provided to Write for California. “I have asked the SoCal Challenge tournament director that a formal investigation be conducted and that this fan be barred from the premises.”
In a video posted Wednesday morning on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Aimaq walks up to the bleachers to confront a fan at The Pavilion. The basketball player can be seen towering over the spectator in the video.
The video has been shared widely on X and elsewhere online. One video, posted by X user @JustASportGuy, a self-described “TTU alum,” has been viewed on X more than 65,000 times by Wednesday afternoon. The user shared the 13-second video but did not take it.
Before transferring to California, Aimaq played at Texas Tech in the 2022 season.
A few steps from the top of the bleachers, the six-year Cal transfer asks, “Do you want to talk? I’ll talk.”
The basketball player then reaches the top of the stairs and repeats himself twice — “Do you want to talk? Do you want to talk?” — as fans walk by to exit the arena after the conclusion of the Cal v. UTEP basketball game earlier this week.
In the video, Aimaq lays on the expletives at a man wearing a white shirt, saying, “You want to talk some s—t? I’ll slap the f—k out of you, b—h!” as he points his finger in the fan’s face.
An unseen bystander shouts, “Hey, hey, hey, hey” in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.
A UTEP fan says, “You’re supposed to be a role model, dude.” Aimaq is then seen walking down the stairs toward the basketball court.
As the Texas Tech transfer leaves, the same orange UTEP gear-clad passerby can be seen saying in the video, “Grow up, dude. Grow up. That’s why you lose.”
The California Golden Bears lost to the UTEP Miners in a game that tipped off after 10 p.m. Pacific and finished in the early hours on Tuesday. UTEP senior Tae Hardy made a three-pointer to ice the 75-72 upset as time expired. The buzzer-beater helped the Miners land its first upset over a “Power Five” conference team in three years and maintain a perfect 5-0 record.
California, now 2-3, has struggled in head coach Mark Madsen’s first season at the helm of the Golden Bears. The UTEP defeat is the team’s second straight. Last week, the Golden Bears lost a close game at home against the Montana State Bobcats.
California plays the Tulane Green Wave in the SoCal Challenge’s consolation game Wednesday night. The UTEP Miners and Bradley Braves tip off before the Cal game in the championship game.
“Fardaws and I had an important conversation today about how he needs to maintain his composure regardless of what takes place in a game or what is said to him directly,” Coach Madsen said. “The consequences related to this situation will be managed internally.”
As much as we expect our players, college or professional, to resist responding to whatever is said to them, can you imagine being an Afghani immigrant living in the USA? I have not walked a mile in his shoes, but shudder at the thought of what a big man like him faces. Any very large man knows that they get picked on in bars and gather attention merely from being 6'5 or whatever. Being an arab looking man who towers over others would be an incredible exercise in restraint. I have no doubt that coach Madsen will handle this appropriately, and would personally hope that there are no consequences at all besides a good conversation. It reminds me of the restraint we expect all people of color to show in the face of blatant racism. King was right that we gain more through non-violence than angry responses, but how little caucasian America understands about the Zen and self control and sublimation we so easily expect of those who face hatred and mistreatment because of their skin color. That fan who purportedly said those things is a dumpster dwelling asshole, and I can't help but wish when he said those things that some other fans who share his skin color beat the crap out of him, or at least picked him up and threw him outside.
Well, that’s not good. I hope there is additional context. Not sure what additional context could explain it though… Hopefully he escapes with some temporary repercussion and learns from this.
Edit: sounds like there was context. Hopefully everyone can just move on.