Oakland Athletics bench coach Ryan Christenson apologized late Thursday night after video showed him celebrating the team's victory with what looked like a Nazi salute.- Christenson said the gesture was unintentional.
- Athletics closer Liam Hendricks appeared to correct Christenson's gesture as the team offered each other elbow bumps.
The Oakland Athletics put out a statement late Thursday night after bench coach Ryan Christenson celebrated the team's 6-4 victory over the Texas Rangers with what appeared to be a Nazi salute.
Video of Christenson's celebration were widely shared on social media on Thursday night, which shows the coach with his right arm raised out at an angle. Athletics closer Liam Hendricks appeared to correct Christenson's gesture as the team offered each other elbow bumps.
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"A's bench coach Ryan Christenson greeted players with a gesture that looked like a Nazi salute," the Athletics said in a statement. "We do not support or condone this gesture or the racist sentiment behind it. This is incredibly offensive, especially in these times when we as a club and so many others are working to expose and address racial inequities in our country. We are deeply sorry that this happened on our playing field."
Christenson also apologized in a statement of his own, but said that the gesture was unintentional.
"I made a mistake and will not deny it," Christenson said. "Today in the dugout I greeted players with a gesture that was offensive. In the world today of COVID, I adapted our elbow bump, which we do after wins, to create some distance with the players. My gesture unintentionally resulted in a racist and horrible salute that I do not believe in. What I did was unacceptable and I deeply apologize."
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