MLS
Diego Chará is victim of racial slurs in Portland’s defeat to Minnesota
The Major League Soccer has started an investigation following the alleged racist comment against the Colombian midfielder during the week nine game of the 2021 MLS season.
Portland Timbers hosted Minnesota United during week nine of the 2021 Major League Soccer regular season. The home team suffered a 0-1 loss, but in the 65th minute the match was stopped because Portland’s midfielder, Diego Chará, was a victim of racist comments.
‘Racist situation’ against Chará
After the game Portland’s boss, Giovanni Savarese, spoke about the racial slurs his midfielder, Diego Chará, suffered during the match. The manager of the Timbers was very upset about the situation and he stood by his player.
"I am very and extremely disappointed that still at this time we have to deal with situations that should not be happening anymore or in any sport or anywhere," he said. "It's things that are not acceptable and in this game there was a situation that had to do with a racist situation. A discriminatory word that has been said to one of our players that cannot have any place in anywhere or in any situation or any sport, nowhere.
"So, I'm extremely disappointed that still at this time we have to deal with these kinds of situations in a game. The referee should have handled this situation in a much better way.
"We are all in support of Diego Chara, but what happened to him today, the discriminatory word that was said to him, should not have a place anywhere at this time and I am extremely disappointed that it was not taken as seriously as it should have been. The whole team, myself, the whole organization, is with Diego Chara in this situation that happened on the field today."
MLS also released a statement regarding the situation
"MLS has zero tolerance for abusive and offensive language, and we take these allegations very seriously," the statement said.