*Hilton Grand Vacations has terminated an employee connected to a racist message sent to Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray, according to a statement provided to Front Office Sports.
The company announced the decision after reviewing allegations that one of its workers used a racial slur in an Instagram direct message to the WNBA star.
“The person responsible for posting this information is no longer with the company. His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company’s values in any way,” Hilton Grand Vacations said.
Gray brought attention to the message by sharing a screenshot on her Instagram Story. “People act like we make this s*** up. And the audacity to tell us as athletes to ‘shut up and dribble,'” she captioned the screenshot.
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Online users examined the account tied to the message. Images posted to the profile appeared to show the individual wearing a Hilton Grand Vacations name tag, while other posts repeatedly referenced the company.
Hilton Grand Vacations initially said it had opened an inquiry and would determine its response after reviewing the available information.
“We are aware of the allegations involving this individual and are currently investigating the matter. The behavior described would be in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company’s values in any way. We take these concerns seriously and will take appropriate action based on the findings of our review.”
The Las Vegas Aces addressed the incident and publicly supported Gray.
“The Las Vegas Aces organization unequivocally condemns the hateful and racist messages recently directed at Chelsea Gray. We do not tolerate hate speech of any type, whether it’s online, in the arena or anywhere within our community.”
The organization also praised the company for holding the employee responsible.
“We stand with organizations, like Hilton Grand Vacations, that hold individuals accountable for racist conduct. We commend them for the swift manner in which they acted in addressing this matter.”
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