Reggae Boy Lowe victim of alleged racial abuse
MLS investigation under way in the United States
Published:Tuesday | September 20, 2022 | 12:07 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
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Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States has begun investigations into an incident where national defender Damion Lowe was allegedly the target of racial abuse during an MLS match on Sunday by DC United forward Taxi Fountas. The game between...
Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States has begun investigations into an incident where national defender Damion Lowe was allegedly the target of racial abuse during an MLS match on Sunday by DC United forward Taxi Fountas.
The game between Lowe’s club Inter Miami CF and DC United was paused for several minutes after Lowe and Fountas exchanged words in the 59th minute.
According to Lowe’s teammate, American international DeAndre Yedlin, there was a bust-up between Lowe and “another player” when the alleged word was used.
“Damion and another player got into a bit of a scuffle, as Damion walked away one of their guys called him the N-word,” Yedlin said. He later offered that the Miami players, after the incident, decided that they wouldn’t continue playing if some action was not taken.
According to a report by The Athletic on Sunday, head referee Ismail Elfath said that both players were issued yellow cards for “lack of respect of the game” before the alleged use of a slur was reported and that “no official heard any racist or abusive language”. Additionally, Elfath said that the incident was also checked by the Video Assistant Referee system. Fountas was substituted by DC United head coach Wayne Rooney in the 66th minute. Inter Miami would go on to win the game 3-2.
Inter Miami head coach Phil Neville said after the game that Fountas used a “racist comment” in the exchange calling it “the worst word in the world.” Fountas has denied the allegations in a statement on his social media pages. “We had a hot discussion on the field. But I have not racially abused anyone. I firmly reject racism in any form. It is despicable. I always respect the culture, religion and skin colour of each person. I am therefore very upset by this accusation and saddened to be falsely accused,” he said.
Rooney declined to comment on the specifics of the incident only offering that the referee informed him and Neville of the complaint. The incident comes as Lowe is expected to join the national senior squad for their international friendly against Argentina next week Tuesday
It is the second time in the space of two months that a national player has been the target of racial taunts as national senior women’s player Trudi Carter was the subject of alleged abuse on Instagram in July during their successful World Cup qualifying campaign.
Former football administrator Don Anderson said that while unfortunately, the cases of racial abuse against black players have been many, he is concerned that Jamaican players have been recent targets.
“Racially abuse at any point in time is very disturbing. it affects the psyche of the players going forward and you don’t know what to expect the next time they play. “It is unfortunate that Jamaicans are being caught up in this nonsense,” Anderson said.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) released a statement yesterday in support of Lowe and denouncing the abuse.
“The JFF strongly condemns and abhors racism in any form whether on or off the field and we stand ready to give whatever support is necessary to Damion,” the statement read.