14 Apr 2011

Kobe fined for comment to ref

11:37 am on 14 April 2011

The Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has been fined was fined 126 thousand dollars for comments directed at a referee during a recent NBA game that have been strongly criticised by a leading gay rights group.

Television cameras caught the 13-times All-Star shouting an anti-gay slur at the referee shortly after he was called for a technical foul during yesterday's game against San Antonio.

The league said the comments by Bryant, one of the NBA's biggest names, were offensive and inexcusable.