The D.C. United soccer team of Major League Soccer made headlines on Friday when they revealed the termination of their head athletic trainer for allegedly making a “discriminatory hand gesture” in a photograph that went viral the day before.
Despite not disclosing the trainer’s name in their official statement, the Washington Post confirmed that Reade Whitney was indeed the individual fired.
The day before the All-Star Game, on Tuesday, the MLS All-Stars trained on the National Mall. Following the session, the players and staff posed for pictures with the Washington Monument in the background. Whitney was seen making a touching gesture with his thumb and index finger while holding out his other three fingers in the photo.
Club statement.https://t.co/ebOeKEIDj0
— D.C. United (@dcunited) July 21, 2023
The “OK” hand sign traditionally denotes that everything is fine. To make the gesture, one circles the thumb and index finger while extending the other three fingers. However, it has become a symbol of affiliation for hate groups and far-right organizations. Both the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center have listed the gesture as one of the symbols used by white nationalists and hate groups.
Head athletic trainer dismissal precedes D.C. United’s suspensions of two MLS players
Further information regarding the incident is still pending as attempts to get in touch with Reade Whitney for comment were not immediately successful. The head athletic trainer’s dismissal came just before D.C. United announced the suspension of two players, Taxi Fountas, and Nigel Robertha, pending an investigation into potential rule violations.
The Athletic reported that Fountas used a racial epithet against Robertha during a recent practice, which resulted in a fight between the two athletes. It is still unknown, though, whether the incident involving the two players and Whitney’s dismissal are related.
MLS is investigating a reported fight between DC United teammates Taxi Fountas and Nigel Robertha that includes a racial slur allegation against Fountas… Click 🔗 to Read More: https://t.co/5beUXsnyLw pic.twitter.com/S9jklCczuL
— King of DC Sports (@dcsportsking) July 23, 2023
In response to the photo, D.C. United swiftly took action as the club statement said, “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.”
In July 2021, D.C. United hired Whitney as an assistant athletic trainer. Whitney got the position of head athletic trainer in January 2022. He had previously worked for the Chicago Fire, FC Dallas, and CF Montreal, three other MLS teams.
D.C. United’s decisive action in addressing the alleged discriminatory gesture sends a strong message to its players, staff, and fans that the club will not tolerate such behavior. As Major League Soccer investigates the matter involving the two suspended players, it is crucial for the league and individual clubs to use these instances as opportunities for reflection and growth.