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James Madison University has suspended a fan from attending future athletic events after a video circulated showing the individual shouting a racist remark toward Winsome Earle‑Sears, who is serving as Virginia’s lieutenant governor and running for governor. The incident took place on October 18 during the Dukes’ football game against Old Dominion University Monarchs, where the fan allegedly yelled, “go back to Haiti” at Earle-Sears, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Jamaica.
In response to inquiries from WHSV, the university’s athletics department released a statement condemning the behavior and reaffirming its commitment to fan civility and respectful conduct. The statement said the actions captured in the video “do not reflect” the institution’s values and noted that the individual had been suspended under JMU’s fan code of conduct.