Coach Bob Huggins apologizes for homophobic slur during radio interview

West Virginia University men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins apologized for using a homophobic slur during an interview with a Cincinnati radio station on Monday. 

Huggins said he used a “completely insensitive and abhorrent phrase that there is simply no excuse for.” 

“I deeply apologize to the individuals I have offended, as well as the Xavier University community, the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia,” he said. 

Earlier Monday, Huggins used a highly offensive anti-gay slur during an appearance on Bill Cunningham’s show on Cincinnati’s News Radio 700WLW. Huggins was asked about his rivalry with Xavier University’s basketball team when he was a coach at the University of Cincinnati between 1989 and 2005. 

“Any school that can throw rubber penises on the floor and then say they didn’t do it, my God, they can get away with anything,” Huggins said in the interview. 

Cunningham responded, “I think it was ‘transgender night,’ wasn’t it?” 

The coach then replied, “What it was, was all those f-gs, those Catholic f-gs, I think.”

Hours later, West Virginia University said in a statement that Huggins’ remarks were “insensitive, offensive and do not represent our university values.” The school added that the situation is under review and will be addressed by the university and its athletics department. 

In his apology statement, Huggins acknowledged he would “fully accept” the consequences coming his way. 

“I am ashamed and embarrassed and heartbroken for those I have hurt. I must do better, and I will.” 

The 70-year-old coach, who has been with the school since 2007, has taken West Virginia to the NCAA Tournament eleven times. He led the team to a Final Four appearance in 2010. 

Cunningham did not address the incident on his show Tuesday, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. CBS News reached out to iHeartRadio, his employer, for a comment but did not immediately hear back.