Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg has explained the circumstances surrounding his altercation with a court-storming Iowa fan, revealing that his reaction was partly due to concerns about his pacemaker being interfered with by the fan’s cell phone.
Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said Friday that there were specific circumstances surrounding his altercation with a court-storming Iowa fan that people viewing viral social media videos might not fully understand. The videos showed Hoiberg making a swiping motion at a person pointing a camera toward him during the handshake line after his ninth-ranked Cornhuskers lost 57-52 to the Hawkeyes on Wednesday night. In doing so, Hoiberg accidentally struck a member of Iowa’s staff.
Hoiberg, who is 100% reliant on a pacemaker, explained that his reaction stemmed from awareness that close contact with cell phones can interfere with the heart device. He recounted the situation and explained that while he doesn’t have a problem with court storms, he’s against putting players and coaches in danger. Hoiberg said he apologized to the Iowa staff member whom he struck both in the moment and in the days following, and the staff member was understanding and said he would’ve done the same.
Iowa released a statement apologizing for the lack of security and will conduct a review of their procedures and security measures to determine what adjustments may be needed to further strengthen their protocols and help prevent similar incidents in the future. Hoiberg appreciated Iowa’s statement and considered it a learning opportunity. Nebraska hosts Penn State on Saturday.
For more information on the AP Top 25 college basketball poll, visit AP News. The Associated Press also provides comprehensive coverage of college basketball, which can be found at AP News College Basketball.
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