After referee Eric Lewis retires, NBA drops social media investigation. This is what happened

The National Basketball Association has decided to close its investigation into the social media conduct of its referee Eric Lewis because he is retiring with immediate effect. Lewis got embroiled into a controversy after some Twitter users alleged that the referee defended himself and other officials in some tweets, which have been deleted.

“In light of his decision, the NBA’s investigation into social media activity has been closed,” said NBA in a statement after Lewis’ retirement was confirmed on Wednesday.

The NBA launched a probe to decide if Lewis had violated the rules in the case. As the investigation was going on, Lewis was not chosen as one of the 12 referees for the final between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. Earlier, he was chosen for the finals in the last four years.


Eric Lewis has worked as a referee in 19 seasons of the NBA and he has officiated 1,200 games including the regular seasons and the playoffs. He worked on May 16 for the last time when the Denver Nuggets hosted the Los Angeles Lakers in game number 1 of the Western Conference finals.

NBA officials are not allowed to discuss their decisions publicly without the league's permission. Having served as an NBA official for nearly two decades, Lewis had refereed numerous playoff games in the recent season.

FAQs:

Who is Eric Lewis?
Eric Lewis was an NBA referee, who officiated in 1,200 games including the regular seasons and playoffs. He has retired after getting embroiled in a controversy.

Why was an investigation launched against Eric Lewis?
An investigation was launched to find out if Eric Lewis had violated the rules by speaking about his work in an unauthorized manner.