NBA Athlete Fined for Suggesting Referee Was Motivated by Betting

A professional NBA athlete has been sanctioned after suggesting that a referee might be biased because of gambling. Rudy Gobert, a French basketball center, will have to pay a fine of $100,000 for this implication.  

Gobert’s team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, was playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday when Gobert was called for a technical foul. In response, the player directed a rude finger-rub gesture toward referee Scott Foster, implying that the call might have been due to a monetary interest.

After another call, this time from another referee, the Cavaliers were granted a free throw. This move sent the game into overtime. The Cleveland Cavaliers eventually emerged victorious.

In the aftermath of the game, Gobert shared his thoughts, this time voicing his concerns over the alleged influence of gambling. He said that the wagering sector is hurting the game and regretted that the sports and sports betting industries are becoming more and more intertwined.

Gobert’s Gesture Costs Him $100,000

The NBA was not happy with Gobert’s gesture and remarks and decided to levy a fine of $100,000 – the maximum possible fine the league could hand out. The league released a statement on the matter, explaining that Gobert’s misconduct was detrimental to the NBA as it undermined the league’s authority.

The statement described Gobert’s action as an “inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official” and reprimanded the player for publicly critiquing the referee.

This, however, was not the first time the Minnesota Timberwolves center has gotten himself into hot water for publicly criticizing league officials.

Maryland Universities Investigate Gambling Violations

Speaking of gambling and the NBA, Temple University just confirmed that it is investigating the recent game between the Temple University Owls and the UAB Blazers. The game was rather suspicious, according to some people, because it saw the Blazers start at a 2.5-point favorite. Once the wagers poured in, however, the betting line changed to a whopping 8 points.

Temple University released a public statement, promising to look into the matter.

In a separate accident, the Loyola Maryland men’s basketball team just identified a wagering violation and proceeded to sanction an athlete. The person responsible for the violation has been removed from the team since.