A youth tournament bringing together talented players from around the world was marred last week by multiple allegations of racist insults between teams on and off the field.
The incidents involved the under-17 teams of two of MLS’s most well-known academy systems (the Philadelphia Union and the New York Red Bulls), both of which experienced some form of altercation against teams guests from Brazil, Croatia and Mexico.
The story evolved throughout the weekend. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the Adidas Generation Cup? How is MLS involved?
The Adidas Generation Cup (GA) is a premier youth soccer tournament hosted by MLS. It features 80 teams across multiple age groups from 49 clubs, including teams from all 29 MLS academies and clubs from around the world.
Organizers described this year’s edition as having “the most international field in the competition’s 15-year history”, with teams from 15 countries and four continents. Manchester United, Arsenal, River Plate and Flamengo were among the international clubs to join this year, alongside CF Monterrey and Hajduk Split.
What happened?
A series of player clashes took place during the GA Cup as the eight-day tournament entered the championship rounds.
The first incident involved New York Red Bulls Under-17 goalkeeper Joshua Grant, who claimed he was subjected to racist abuse by a CF Monterrey player during a match between the two teams. early in the week.
Then, on Thursday, the team said Under-17 defender Eric Tai was also allegedly the victim of racist abuse by a player at Croatian club Hajduk Split. Sources at that match, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, said Athleticism that the referee recognized the racist language and sent off the player in second instance.
“What happened in the last two games is completely inappropriate and has changed our team forever,” the Red Bulls’ under-17 players said in a statement after the clash with Hajduk. “The extreme lack of action from the league is unacceptable and has left a feeling of distrust and uncertainty about our safety and well-being when playing at this event and at our home games. We hope this situation highlights an ongoing problem in football and in our world.
The Red Bulls subsequently withdrew their academy teams from the under-15 and under-17 competitions. The Red Bulls under-17s were knocked out of the tournament in the round of 16 by Hajduk on Thursday, but the under-15 team advanced to the quarter-finals.
The following incident occurred between the Philadelphia Union under-17 teams and CF Flamengo, one of Brazil’s best-known clubs.
During a semi-final match, two Flamengo players received red cards and an assistant coach was sent off. A league spokesperson said one of the two red cards issued to Flamengo players was for the use of a banned term. There was also a confrontation between the teams after the match, with video posted on social media (below).
Things got heated after the Philadelphia Union U-17s beat Flamengo 2-0 to advance to their second straight GA Cup final.
A number of incidents occurred during this tournament that probably should have been handled more appropriately. pic.twitter.com/NeahQljdKx
-Jimmyking (@Jimmyking35) April 7, 2024
Flamengo later released a statement alleging that its players had been subjected to racist insults by Union players and decided to withdraw from their third-place match.
What action was taken?
Any action taken by the league is either immediate, such as a match official issuing a red card during a match, or following a league investigation. Regardless of how the sanctions were meted out, the league refused to identify the players involved because they were minors.
After the Red Bulls’ departure from the GA Cup following their matches against Monterrey and Hajduk, MLS Next announced that it had issued suspensions to the offending players. The league said the suspensions followed “three allegations of discriminatory language” used during matches and added that the suspensions were administered under the “MLS Next Disciplinary Code to individual offenders for violations of the security policy and well-being.
The league also said it has provided on-site resources to affected players and clubs. Red cards were initially handed out during on-field confrontations, in cases where a referee witnessed the discriminatory behavior in question.
In the clash between Union and Flamengo, two Flamengo players received red cards, including one for using banned terms, and an assistant coach was sent off from the semi-final. This then sparked a league investigation, leading to possible suspensions of players from both teams. However, the question seems far from being resolved.
In its statement, Flamengo said its players were victims of racist insults. “Racism is a crime and must be severely punished wherever it occurs,” the club said, adding that MLS was supporting and investigating, while its legal department “has also been working since last night to ensure that appropriate measures be taken.” »
MLS later said it had suspended the Union and Flamengo players. MLS was considering whether Flamengo should continue playing in the tournament when the team decided to leave the competition, a league spokesperson said.
Has this already happened?
Professional football has certainly seen examples of racist abuse at the highest levels of the game, leading to protests from players and calls for change.
In January, AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan left the pitch after being subjected to racist insults from Udinese fans during an Italian Serie A match, leading to a brief suspension of the match. The incident unfolded in real time, with the 28-year-old waving to his teammates as Milan prepared to take a goal kick. Maignan then left the field with his teammates.
Most recently, 23-year-old Brazilian superstar Vinícius Júnior broke down in tears in March while speaking to the media with his national team as he spoke about the racist abuse he suffered while playing in Spain. The Real Madrid striker has been repeatedly abused, leading to investigations, arrests and a new FIFA initiative to combat racism in sport.
“If I leave here, I will give the racists what they want,” said Vinicius Jr, about his career at Real Madrid. “I want to stay here, at the best club in the world, so they can continue to see my face. The president (Florentino Perez) supports me, the club supports me… If I leave, it would be a triumph for the racists.
But the problem is widespread, with other examples in leagues around the world.
What happens next?
The league said in its statement on Sunday that it was “deeply concerned and distressed” by reports of on-field abuse by players during the GA Cup and hinted that it could potentially revamp its existing protocols to make them more consistent with what MLS implements for its first team competitions.
“This behavior is completely unacceptable and violates the rules of the competition and our collective effort to ensure a respectful and inclusive environment for all,” the league said, adding that it had already begun a “thorough review” of the protocols and programs of existing training. for participating clubs, which could include “adopting best practices from MLS first team competitions.”
These best practices for first-team competitions were themselves recently updated, following a 2023 MLS season that saw several instances of racism on the field, including Dante Vanzeir of the New York Red Bulls for for using a racist remark against Jeremy of the San Jose Earthquakes. Ebobisse (Vanzeir was suspended six games).
The new MLS protocol involves in-person seminars presented by two presenters, many of whom are former MLS players. Facilitators lead a conversation between players on each team (and technical staff in a separate but simultaneous session) about cultural sensitivities and how competitive pressure can lead to blowups. The hosts also present a list of words that cannot be pronounced under any circumstances.
The league also instituted a new anti-discrimination policy in conjunction with the MLS Players Association. Under the policy, players involved in a “discriminatory incident” will have the opportunity to speak with a qualified facilitator and undergo restorative training, while the commissioner will retain the power to measure discipline.
(Top photo: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports)