Nationals suspend ties with Papa John's after founder's racial slur controversy

The Washington Nationals have suspended their relationship with Papa John's as the fallout continues after its founder used a racial slur during a conference call.

John Schnatter resigned as chairman from Papa John's after a Forbes report said he used the N-word during a media training exercise in May. Schnatter issued an apology acknowledging the use of "inappropriate and hurtful" language.

"The Washington Nationals do not condone discrimination of any kind," the team said in a statement. "Therefore, we have suspended our partnership with Papa Johns. However, we remain supportive of our local operators who have been fantastic partners for more than eleven years."

The pizza chain, which has more than 5,200 locations, has started to pull Schnatter's image from its marketing.

In addition to the Nationals, Major League Baseball said it has suspended a promotion with Papa John's that offered discounts when a player hit a grand slam.

The University of Louisville said it is removing the Papa John's name from its football stadium.