MLS: DC United trainer sacked over ‘discriminatory’ gesture
An athletic trainer for DC United, an MLS football club in Washington DC, has been sacked for making a gesture that is considered to be a hate symbol.
The decision was made after the team discovered a “discriminatory hand gesture” in a photo shared on social media on Thursday. The team did not disclose the identity of the trainer involved, but she’s been identified as Reade Whitney.
The post, which has since been deleted, depicted the staff posing on the National Mall, with one individual seen making the “OK” symbol, which has been associated with racist connotations.
The termination of the Whitney’s employment is effective immediately, following an internal review conducted by the team.
Confirming that trainer has been sacked, DC United said in a statement;
“D.C. United have terminated the employment of the club’s athletic trainer effective immediately. This termination is the result of an internal review following the discovery of a discriminatory hand gesture made by the individual that surfaced in a photograph published across social media platforms on July 20, 2023.
“There is no place for racism, homophobia, misogyny or discrimination of any kind in our sport and world and D.C. United do not tolerate any acts of this nature.”
The origin of the thumb-and-forefinger ‘OK’ hand gesture becoming associated with “white power” is not clear. It seems to have started as an online hoax or trolling tactic before being adopted by some far-right sympathizers.
D.C. United has also suspended a pair of forwards, Taxi Fountas and Nigel Robertha, over an incident in which the former was reportedly accused of directing a racial slur at the latter at a training session.
Robertha reportedly responded by physically assaulting Fountas.
In D.C. United’s announcement, it cited “possible violations of league policy” by both players, adding that the club “promptly reported the matter to the League Office, at which point MLS began to gather all available information.”
