Teams have walked out or stopped matches in Europe over racial slurs, but this is the first I can remember of a team leaving a game in progress in the US over conduct of an opponent, in this case an alleged homophobic slur.
Just a week after one their players was the target of a racial slur, the San Diego Loyal saw their season end with a forfeit in protest of what they allege was another slur.
San Diego Loyal players walked off the field in protest of what they insist was the use of a homophobic slur by Phoenix Rising forward Junior Flemmings against openly gay San Diego midfielder Collin Martin.
The incident took place on the Loyal’s final match of the regular season, and one San Diego needed to win to help its chances of qualifying for the USL playoffs. The Loyal held a 3-1 lead when the incident in question took place just before halftime.
The incident in question involved Martin reacting to what he heard as a homophobic slur from Flemmings, which led match referee Joseph Salinas to issue Martin a red card because he mistook Martin’s reaction to be, in itself, a homophobic slur. After a prolonged discussion, Salinas waived off Martin’s red card, but did not issue Flemmings a red card, citing the fact he didn’t hear Flemmings say anything.
The Loyal refused to continue the match if Flemmings wasn’t removed, either by the match officials or substituted by Phoenix Rising, but Phoenix Rising coach Rick Schantz refused to remove Flemmings, leading to the Loyal’s decision to walk off the field and forfeit the match.
An interesting story in that everyone involved seems to have done the wrong thing. The instigator was unsportsmanlike in using a slur. The ref should have called only what he saw and stuck with it. The Loyal should not have walked. The only people in the story who didn’t act badly were the other members of the Rising, so…congratulations on the win?Report
And be sure to beat your team mate soundly about the head for being so fecking stupid.Report
I’m okay with the ref walking back the penalty upon new information, if that is how it happened.
I’m also okay with the team’s actions. If they were willing to accept the forfeit, so be it.Report
Thing is, a win like that is forever tainted. Everyone will know that the score was 3-1 in favor of the team that forfeited, and that the forfeit was because of unsportsmanlike conduct.
So sure, it’s a win, but it’s a crappy way to win.Report
Sorry, I meant the team that forfeited. If *they* are willing to take the L, I’m hard pressed to tell them they should have done something else.Report
I recall a story that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has told about his coach at UCLA, John Wooden. It seems that fairly early in the 60’s, before the Wooden’s Bruins were winning everything in sight, and were merely very good, the NIT (the other post-season tournament in that day, since the NCAA Finals were much smaller) sent out a feeler to Wooden. They would like the Bruins in their tournament if only Coach could see his way to starting only white players – subs would be fine?
Wooden’s reply was, if I recall, “You have a wonderful tournament, and we’ll be really sorry to miss it”.
So, no, I don’t know that I have a problem with the Loyal walking off the field. I’m so very tired of having to take crap like this with no protest. If a team wants to forfeit a game in protest, good for them.Report
There’s a difference between structural racism – an actual structure that followed an actual racial policy – and a claim of an insult.
That said, I’m all about sportsmanship. I hate taunting, name-calling, trying to get away with penalties, et cetera. The players I admire are the ones who cross the goal line and toss the ball to the official. I also don’t think you should carry on if a ref misses a call.Report
If the ref didn’t see it, they can’t call it.
If they start calling stuff because of What That Other Dude Definitely Said When You Weren’t Looking, then slurs will become the new diving.Report
one guy taking a knee didn’t move the dial in any measurable positive way for society, so I guess a walk off is the next level up.Report