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A federal appeals court said Friday that Nolan Richardson wasn't a victim of racial discrimination when the University of Arkansas fired him four years ago.
Richardson said after a hearing at the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that ``they came after me'' when he spoke out against racism at the Fayetteville school.
The appeals court said that by the time of Richardson's complaint, university administrators already wanted to fire the only man to coach Arkansas' basketball team to a national championship.
University lawyer Scott Varady said the school ``always said that coach Richardson was not terminated based on his race or the exercise of any First Amendment rights.''
Richardson attorney John Walker said the coach was traveling and not available for comment. The lawyer said the coach's complaint against the university had a positive effect. He noted Friday that the university had hired Cynthia Nance, a black woman, to serve as dean of its law school.
``I would ask whether or not that would have happened ... if Mr. Richardson had not gone forward,'' Walker said. ``When black people or people in general assert their rights under the law, we profit as a people.''
http://sportsillustrated.netscape.cnn.com/sports/story.jsp?floc=sp-main-7-|7&flok=FF-APO-2060&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20060526%2F1842133098.htm&sc=2060
Richardson said after a hearing at the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that ``they came after me'' when he spoke out against racism at the Fayetteville school.
The appeals court said that by the time of Richardson's complaint, university administrators already wanted to fire the only man to coach Arkansas' basketball team to a national championship.
University lawyer Scott Varady said the school ``always said that coach Richardson was not terminated based on his race or the exercise of any First Amendment rights.''
Richardson attorney John Walker said the coach was traveling and not available for comment. The lawyer said the coach's complaint against the university had a positive effect. He noted Friday that the university had hired Cynthia Nance, a black woman, to serve as dean of its law school.
``I would ask whether or not that would have happened ... if Mr. Richardson had not gone forward,'' Walker said. ``When black people or people in general assert their rights under the law, we profit as a people.''
http://sportsillustrated.netscape.cnn.com/sports/story.jsp?floc=sp-main-7-|7&flok=FF-APO-2060&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20060526%2F1842133098.htm&sc=2060