NEED TO KNOW
- Duke cornerback Kimari Robinson is facing backlash after swatting a female athletic trainer’s arm away as she rushed to help his injured teammate during a game on Oct. 17
- Video of the incident shows Robinson seemingly reacting in annoyance after the trainer bumped into him
- Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III and others criticized Robinson’s actions on X, while some defended him, citing heightened emotions during the game
Duke cornerback Kimari Robinson is facing backlash after swatting a female athletic trainer’s arm away during a recent football game.
The incident occurred during the third quarter of the Blue Devils match against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C., on Saturday, Oct. 17, after Duke’s DaShawn Stone fell to the ground with an injury.
Video of the moment shared widely on social media shows Robinson crouching over his injured teammate to see if he’s alright. A female athletic trainer then rushes over to help, bumping into Robinson as she approaches. Robinson then appears to swipe at the trainer in annoyance, making contact with her left arm.
Duke University and the Blue Devils did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, Oct. 18.
Credit: Alamy
Online commenters were quick to criticize the behavior.
“This, @DukeFOOTBALL can’t happen,” wrote former Arkansas football coach Kevin Kelley in a post on X that featured a clip of the moment.
“Check out the 7-9 second mark where the female athletic trainer tries to get the player hovering to move so she can help and he swings his arm at her. He needs to listen to her and know where he should be. If not where is the line?” he added.
Another user, who identifies herself as a certified sports nutritionist in her X bio, reshared Kelley’s post, writing, “Athletic trainers are first responders on the field. They stabilize spines, manage concussions, and literally keep players alive. They’re still among the least respected and lowest-paid people in the building, and they shouldn’t have to deal with players swinging on them for clearing space so medical staff can actually treat an injured teammate.”
Former NFL quarterback and current FOX Sports analyst Robert Griffin III also shared a clip of the incident on X, writing, “As a man, this just can’t happen. No excuses for it.”
Others, however, argued that Robinson was likely in a heightened emotional state in the moment.
“Here’s a crazy thought... fog of war, teammate down, emotions high, stuff happens in seconds that others get multiple watches to critique. Before we end a young man’s playing career, maybe we just say not cool and move on,” one X user wrote.
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Robinson, who is from Miramar, Fl., is currently a Junior at the university, per his ESPN bio.
Stone was able to walk off the field following his injury, according to USA Today.
Duke lost the game 24–20, bringing its season record to 4–2, per the outlet.
Read the original article on People