An unfortunate moment went viral during Week 7 of the college football season, when Duke Blue Devils defensive back Kimari Robinson shoved a female athletic trainer who was trying to help treat injured Duke safety DaShawn Stone, who was lying motionless on the turf.
The athletic trainer was trying to create space as Stone was being treated, but Robinson took issue with that and shoved her arm away.
That led to plenty of discourse on social media, with several fans calling out Robinson’s actions as inappropriate, while others understood the emotion involved after seeing such a terrifying injury in the middle of the game.
On Sunday night, after taking some time to reflect on the moment, Robinson issued a lengthy apology on social media. He says he apologized to the trainer in person before going public with his statement.
MORE: Duke football player, female athletic trainer exchange sparks controversy
Kimari Robinson Apologizes to Member of Duke Medical Staff
“I want to publicly apologize to the member of our training staff for how I acted toward her during Saturday’s game,” Robinson wrote. “I was completely wrong, and she did not deserve that. Immediately after the game, I apologized to her personally and checked to make sure she was okay.
“The injured player, DaShawn Stone, is like family to me, and I was scared he might be seriously hurt. But being worried about him does not excuse how I treated her. I should have controlled my emotions, and I didn’t. I’m truly sorry for my actions and for letting her, myself, and our program down. I have to be better than that.”
It was an unfortunate situation all around, but good on Robinson for publicly apologizing.
In the heat of the moment, Robinson had a temporary lapse in judgment, but considering the circumstances, it is not something that people should use to determine a firm opinion on his character.
Luckily, Stone was able to walk off the field under his own power after the initial scare, despite a cart and backboard being brought out. Ultimately, that is the most important takeaway.
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