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Committee of 101 suspends usher who flipped off Florida fans at Kentucky basketball game

John Clay
·3 min read

The Committee of 101 has suspended a member of its organization who was caught on television flipping off Florida fans during the Kentucky-Florida basketball game at Rupp Arena last Saturday.

The unidentified usher was seen “giving the bird” to a group of rowdy Florida fans during the Wildcats’ 72-67 victory over the Gators.

“The Committee of 101 Executive Board met today to discuss the incident near the end of Saturday’s game,” the committee said in a press release provided to the Herald-Leader. “After extensive review and discussion, we voted to suspend this individual from Committee of 101 activities through the end of the 2023-24 basketball season. Upon return, the member will be placed in a new work assignment.”

Formed in 1966, the Committee of 101 is a volunteer organization that supports the University of Kentucky Athletics Department, including serving as ushers at Rupp Arena for UK basketball games. Members wear their traditional blue sport coats or blazers when doing so.

On Saturday night, an ESPN crowd shot showed the member giving the bird to a group of Florida fans, who were wearing Gators jerseys at the game.

On Monday morning, the usher, identified only as Doug, called in to the Kentucky Sports Radio show saying he received a phone call on Sunday saying that UK “didn’t want you at any of their athletic events.”

UK officials said Tuesday that the Committee of 101 is a separate entity from the athletic department and that it would abide by any decision the organization made.

The usher, who serves in front of the students’ E-Rupp-tion Zone, said the Florida fans were harassing UK students throughout the game. “(Section 11) overlooks the student section and they harassed them kids all night long. Every time I looked around, someone was,” he told KSR.

The radio show and website began a #FreeDoug hashtag in hopes of getting the usher reinstated. The Florida fans in question tweeted their support.

Others, however, argued that given the committee’s connection to UK, the usher’s action was a bad look for the university.

Kentucky has three more home games remaining in the 2022-23 regular season after Tuesday night’s loss to Arkansas.

A member of the Committee of 101 has been suspended, the organization announced Tuesday.
A member of the Committee of 101 has been suspended, the organization announced Tuesday.

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