Ref breaks silence about scandal

Referee Scott Foster broke his silence Tuesday, discussing his role in the NBA’s betting scandal and his relationship with former official Tim Donaghy.

Foster was tied to the scandal after it was reported in July that he and Donaghy took part in 134 phone calls from October 2006 to April 2007. There was no evidence of any criminal activity, but Foster was questioned about the calls during the FBI’s investigation.

“They specifically asked me, ‘Can you recall Tim pumping you for information?’ I was thinking, ‘How did I miss this? Am I a moron?’ ” Foster told USA Today.

Foster was cleared of any wrongdoing last month in the report done by former federal prosecutor Lawrence Pedowitz. Still, Foster said he told Pedowitz he wanted to speak on his behalf, which the NBA prevented him from doing.

“I told him, ‘There is no way that you can write a report that clears my name,’ ” Foster said. “Until the NBA lets me speak to the press and lets me let them see how angry I am about this, it’s not going to mean a hill of beans.”