Late last week, former Penn State basketball player D.J. Newbillwrote a letter to the entire Nittany Lions community thanking them for their support during his time at the university and informing them of his decision to take his talents to France to continue playing basketball. But over the weekend, Newbill ran into some trouble while trying to make his way overseas to play for the French club ASVEL Basket—and it has turned into a really bizarre story.
According to his European agent Francois Lamy, Newbill was detained at the border between Germany and France and interrogated about his possible connection to terrorism while traveling. Even though it doesn't sound like the German immigration officials who questioned him should have had any reason to believe that Newbill was a terrorist, he was reportedly questioned at length about his reason for being in Europe.
"An officer of the German immigration doubted his statement that he was in Europe to play basketball," Lamy wrote on his Facebook page. "He also doubted that France was the country of final destination. Newbill was interrogated for hours. German immigration officials were convinced he had a terrorist motive."
In his Facebook post, Lamy suggested that racism was to blame for Newbill getting pulled aside and questioned. He believes that the main reason Newbill was detained was the color of his skin.
"If there is a despicable ideology that we must fight, it is that one race is superior to another," Lamy wrote.
You can read Lamy's entire Facebook post, courtesy of the site The Black Cager, below. Newbill was reportedly allowed to continue traveling after being detained. We'll be sure to keep you updated with further details if and when they become available.
Immigration, ordinary everyday racism, and other joys of our daily lives, as sensitive as either the subject, this is the day to tackle it. Today a basketball player that I placed in France to the Asvel, DJ Newbill, in my opinion a player and a guy who is exceptional, was arrested by German immigration officials. The official reason, absence of a visa for long stay. It is important to note that visas for sports professionals are regularized once on the territory. Therefore the situation is a little farcical in addition to be unpublished.
Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to sportstips@complex.com.
[via Philly Mag]
