Galaxy midfielder Robbie Rogers said he was subject to a homophobic slur during Saturday’s USL-game with LA Galaxy II against the Orange County Blues.
Rogers, who revealed that he was gay in 2013, posted a lengthy Facebook story about the incident from Saturday’s game.
Here are portions of the post:
“In the heat of the last fifteen minutes of the game a player from the opposing team called me a “queer” repeatedly. To be honest my initial reaction was one of shock. This is my fourth season back in the MLS and I’ve yet to hear another player use that or any other gay slur during a game. I quickly became enraged, I spent the drive home wishing I had channeled my inner Zidane and punched or head-butted this player even though I knew punching this person wouldn’t have helped either of us, my team, or the greater cause of advancing equality in sports. I went to bed upset last night. Angry at this player and his ignorance. Angry at myself for not doing more in the moment.
“Sad we still live in a time where this kind of intolerance still exists in my sport and elsewhere. And if I’m being honest, I was even a bit ashamed that a single word could make me feel, even just for a moment, all the awful feelings I felt for so many years: small, less than, wrong, and unworthy of love and respect by my family or god forbid by my teammates.
“But it was just for a moment.
“Minutes later my head was back in the game. And this morning even most of the anger has faded and the predominant emotions left are just love and gratitude. I’m happy that I practiced restraint worthy of my sport. I’m thankful for the many players on my team and even the opposing one who apologized to me for one man’s actions. Today, I woke up grateful to work in organization filled with so many players and coaches who have worked hard to practice tolerance of everyone and to help change a culture.
“But mostly I’m proud of myself. I am proud more than ever that I had the courage to come out as a queer man. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to share my story with others and to have gotten to play this sport I love so much as an openly gay person. I am, more than ever, thankful to have teammates and a family that love and support me for the son, brother, partner, father and queer player that I am.
“I’m encouraging, as I did when I came out four years ago, all athletes to find the courage within themselves to come out. Listen, only you know when and how it’s best for you to live your truth and share your story, but each one of you that chooses to make this courageous step is not just vastly improving your own life but literally saving others.”
LA Galaxy II was defeated by the Orange County Blues, 2-0, Saturday.
In a statement from Major League Soccer, released Sunday evening, the league said: “Soon after Robbie Rogers shared his story on social media on Sunday about being subject to a homophobic slur while playing for the LA Galaxy II in a USL match on Saturday, Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League began an investigation. Although the investigation is ongoing, both MLS and the USL have zero tolerance for homophobia or any type of discrimination in our game.”
The USL statement read: The USL has begun a full investigation into allegations of homophobic slurs directed at a player during last night’s Orange County Blues FC vs. LA Galaxy II game. The USL has zero tolerance for any discriminatory behavior.
after suffering a broken bone in his right foot in August, recently had “minor” surgery on his right knee, coach Curt Onalfo confirmed Tuesday.
