MLS: League must tread carefully regarding racial protests
This week, people around the world are speaking out against racial injustice. If and when games return, MLS must tread carefully in their response to players, managers and fans who partake in the same protests.
Major League Soccer has always veered away from politics. And it has not done so in the most flattering and productive of ways. From Don Garber’s jaw-droppingly poor response to a question regarding white supremacists and nazis being a part of the New York City FC crowd to the banning of the Portland Timbers supporters supporting the anti-fascist group, The Iron Front, in an infamous match versus the Seattle Sounders last year.
In that event, after the Timbers, who are usually one of the more progressive organisations in the league, came out in support of MLS’ somewhat tone-deaf blanket ban on political statements, The Timbers Army remained silent for the first 33 minutes of their 2-1 defeat to Seattle.
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These are just some instances where the league has handled political statement extremely poorly. MLS, of course, is not the only sports league to struggle to handle this issue well. The NFL famously banned players from kneeling for the national anthem amid Colin Kaepernick’s protest in 2016.
This weekend, several Bundesliga players came out in support of George Floyd and the rising protests around America and the world against racial injustice, with a particular focus on police brutality. U.S. Men’s National Team and Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie wore a black armband that read, ‘Justice for George’. After the match, he revealed that he was told he was not allowed to wear the armband. He said that was not possible that he would deal with the consequences.
Borussia Monchengladbach star Marcus Thuram took a knee during his goal celebration. Thuram is the son of Lillian Thuram, a French football legend who is renowned for his work against racial injustice. And then Jadon Sancho also showed support for the protests when celebrating his goal, revealing a t-shirt underneath his Borussia Dortmund shirt that read, ‘Justice for George Floyd’.
On Wednesday morning, the German FA announced that none would be punished for their ‘political’ statements. That is a sign that the perspective is shifting. Historically, this type of apparent misbehaviour would be met with a fine. Players are not supposed to show political favour or support.
If black athletes and stars — and there are plenty of white teammates who agree with them, as McKennie revealed after the match — are making strong statements in the German league, imagine what will take place in MLS. As of writing, 11 of the top 13 stories on mlssoccer.com relate to the protests in one way or another. Some of these are relaying the statements that many players and coaches have made, including Thierry Henry, DeAndre Yedlin, Bob Bradley and Nedum Onouha. Others are summaries of how people can respond to the protests, including the main banner reading, ‘Listen. Learn. Support.’
Fans, coaches, and players will be keen to make political statements when games return. And as McKennie flew against the expected punishment he will receive, plenty of others will defy MLS’ history on this issue and accept what comes their way as consequence. Garber and the league, then, will have a decision to make. How do they handle these political protests?
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There is no right answer. But there is a balance that MLS must find. They must not open the floodgates to a political minefield; they must also not silence their own players and supporters. There is a very tentative and difficult balance to be found. Thus far, they have failed to tread the line. Perhaps in future, they will be a little more careful.