ATLANTA, GA – Officials with the Atlanta Braves baseball team have placed pitching coach Roger McDowell on administrative leave while they investigate an incident in which he made crude gestures and homophobic remarks before a recent game being played in San Francisco. McDowell apologized for his statement. A spokesperson for team management said the investigation should be completed soon and punishment would be coordinated with Major League Baseball.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) called on the Braves and Major League Baseball to take “real disciplinary action and send the message that anti-gay slurs have no place in sports.”