KPCC airs the Chivas USA racial discrimination story MLS doesn’t want you to know about

MLSsoccer.com has done its best to bury the embarrassing racial discrimination lawsuit filed earlier this week by two former Chivas USA coaches against the club we wrote about earlier this week here.

Incidentally, that’s what happens when sports leagues create “news” websites or channels purporting to cover the league (although that’s a discussion for another time and place).

I was on public radio station KPCC this morning to talk about the story. If you missed it, you can listen here.

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Chivas USA issues statement on charges of racism

Titled “Chivas USA Is an Organization That Respects People Without Distinction,” the statement released late this afternoon appears to refer to, but does not specifically mention, the lawsuit filed against the club by two former coaches in their Youth Academy.

Here it is unedited and in its entirety::

Chivas USA is and has always been an organization that respects everyone without any distinction, and knows that its employees are the most valuable asset the company has. That is why it implements the best practices in terms of equality and respect and it stands against any sort of discrimination in terms of gender, health, religion, opinion or physical disabilities.

The entities of Grupo Chivas have received the Certificate for Equality and Gender Model based on the principle of equality and its application constitutes one of the fundamental rights for men and women collaborating with the group, also at the international level.

Once again, we reiterate our most absolute respect for diversity.

And, no I have no idea what an “opinion disability” is either.

Updated:

Chivas USA announced its Youth Academy Soccer Director Sacha van der Most will serve as interim head coach for Saturday’s game against the Seattle Sounders in Carson.

Newly-appointed coach Jose Luis Real Casillas assumes the helm next week.

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Chivas USA fires coach Chelis

solischivasThe day after they actually won a game (albeit to minor league opposition in the lightly-regarded U.S. Open Cup), Chivas USA fired their Mexican head coach for “the team’s poor performance on the field.”

José Luis Sánchez Solá, who sported terrible fashion sense and fractured Spanish, but was nonetheless the most entertaining feature of the club, was let go late Wednesday evening.

You understand why this had to happen, right? (according to the Chivas USA news release):

Since his hiring, Sánchez Solá had at his disposal a competitive team with the institutional premise of a formal interaction, based in communication in which the club listened to his petitions to incorporate players approved by him. However, he was not able to reflect it with results.

 

While serving as Chivas USA Head Coach, Sánchez Solá not always followed the patterns of respect and conduct implemented by Major League Soccer, as well as by Chivas USA.”

Good thing Chivas USA got rid of those employees who don’t speak Spanish!

Ladies and gentlemen, your new head coach: “Mr. José Luis Real Casillas, who currently acts as Sporting Development Director at Chivas Guadalajara.  His experience and knowledge of the organization will be key to continue moving forward with the current project and to find the best sporting results for the team in the current season.”

Good luck with that.

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Late Wednesday Night Kicks: Chivas USA racial discrimination lawsuit & more

*Could you see this one coming? I guess it’s the obvious end game of Chivas USA’s renewed philosophy on its Mexican heritage in a sense: respected former Anglo U.S. internationals and club youth coaches claim racial discrimination by the club and file a lawsuit.

*The U.S. and the Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez got stomped by Belgium tonight, but coach Jurgen Klinsmann sounded positively upbeat: “I would rather play Belgium 10 more times than El Salvador 100 times because that is when you learn,” he said. School is in here.

*The LA Galaxy reserves lost tonight, too, in the U.S. Open Cup to the same minor league team that have ousted them before although I’m guessing the absent Bruce Arena doesn’t really care now that he won’t have to worry about midweek distractions and the annoyance of playing Chivas USA in the next round. Come to think of it, that applies to me, too. Game story here.

*Much rumored, but unseen Galaxy midfielder Frank Lampard scored for England to draw 1-1 with actual and oft-seen Ireland-led Galaxy striker Robbie Keane subbed out disappointingly relatively early on. Game story.

 

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Wednesday Kicks: Real Madrid at Dodger Stadium, Galaxy, U.S. Open Cup & more

*The Galaxy announced today that the first-ever soccer games played at 51-year-old Dodger Stadium are set for Aug. 3 when Real Madrid plays either Everton or Juventus in a doubleheader with the Galaxy, which will take on one of those two latter teams in the second game of the night. The four teams are part of the west region of the previously announced Guinness International Champions Cup.

From the press release: Dodger Stadium has seen many legendary baseball moments through the years, while hosting more than 147 million fans since it opened its doors. Dodger Stadium has also played host to events such as the 1984 Olympic Games baseball competition, the 2009 World Baseball Classic Final, a Mass conducted by Pope John Paul II, concerts by the biggest names in the business like The Beatles, Michael Jackson and U2 as well as a basketball game and championship boxing match. These will be the first professional soccer games played and come January, 2014, the stadium will host its first National Hockey League game between the Kings and Ducks.

*Chivas USA came from behind to beat minor league outfit the LA Blues in Fullerton Tuesday night, but needed goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to help them at both ends of the field to secure the win.

The Goats will face the winner of tonight’s Carolina Railhawks-Galaxy match (live at 4 p.m. on Time Warner Cable) in the next round.

*In other televised games, the Galaxy’s Robbie Keane is leading Ireland against England on Fox Soccer as I write this, while the U.S. faces Belgium at 5 p.m. on ESPN.

 

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Chivas USA travels to OC tonight to face LA Blues in U.S. Open Cup

usopencuplogoTickets to the 7:30 p.m. game at Titan Stadium in Fullerton are still available for $5 to $8 each.

Struggling Chivas USA beat the struggling local USL Pro team 5-1 in preseason, but has lost six of its last seven MLS games. The Blues punted GM Warren Barton last week.

The winner of the game plays the victor of the Wednesday U.S. Open clash  between the Galaxy and Carolina RailHawks June 12 at Home Depot Center.

More on the tournament is here.

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Sunday Soccer: Chivas USA, Seattle Sounders & more

  • Here’s the Seattle Sounders perspective on the possible debut tonight of new Galaxy midfielder Robbie Rogers, in a story written before the midfielder received the needed MLS paperwork this morning. More on that and complete coverage and reaction to Rogers’ Saturday signing is here.
  • Chivas USA played last night — and suffered yet another loss. Highlights are here.
  • Lastly, the final teams were named to join the Galaxy in the field for the Guinness International Champions Cup.
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Thursday Kicks: Sounders, Keane & Gonzalez

*The Seattle Sounders face a challenging few days that includes their trip to Southern California Sunday to face the Galaxy.
*Fair is fair: Here’s why Robbie Keane will miss MLS games with the Galaxy to play in exhibitions for Ireland.
*Meanwhile, the Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez hasn’t left for U.S. National Team duty yet either. He will sign autographs in Carson from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the AT&T store, 20810 Avalon Blvd.

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