A video showing Quebecer Bennedict Mathurin touching the chest of a cheerleader creates controversy in the United States

Montreal basketball player Bennedict Mathurin is busy these days leading his team from the University of Arizona to the NCAA college championship.

Mathurin put on a sparkling performance last Sunday to help his Wildcats team beat Texas Christian University (TCU) by a score of 85-80 and thus reach the round of Sweet 16 March Madness, that is to say the round of 16.

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The 19-year-old athlete notably achieved a slam dunk resounding, in addition to making the three-point shot that allowed his team to tie the game with a few seconds to play.

But a few days following the important victory, it was an incident at the very end of the match that caught the attention of the American media.

With Arizona coming off the overtime win, Mathurin waved to the crowd and headed into the locker room with his arms outstretched.

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In doing so, he may have snagged the chest of a TCU team cheerleader standing nearby.

As reported by New York Poston social networks, several observers have speculated as to whether Mathurin’s hand had actually touched the young woman’s breast and whether it was an intentional gesture.

Some think so and are angry; others think not and are of the opinion that the player has nothing to be ashamed of.

I watched this live and did a double take. I rewound like 10 times, like no way – it’s just the angle…but it’s definitely a touch. Rewound another 10 times looking for an explanation, but nope, no reason for this. Assaulted this poor girl ????

— Jordan Wolf (@JordanWolf43) March 21, 2022

He had both arms extended in celebration and didn’t even look at the cheerleader, so it might have been inadvertent contact no different than the TCU player getting a bloody nose following bumping into Koloko’s arm.

— M. Varn Chandola (@mvchandola) March 21, 2022

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Another camera angle showing the same incident tends to confirm that the gesture was not intentional.

Regardless, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Tuesday evening that authorities at the University of Arizona and TCU have been in communication following Sunday’s game, regarding an incident between a player and a performer.

Bennedict Mathurin, he did not comment on the situation on his social networks.

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His team will face the University of Houston on Thursday night.

Tipped to be selected in the first round of the next NBA draft, Mathurin might take advantage of the March Madness tournament to improve his selection rank.

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