New York Red Bulls’ Dante Vanzeir apologizes for making racist remark in San Jose Earthquakes game
New York Red Bulls player Dante Vanzeir apologizes for making racist remarks in San Jose Earthquakes game as club also apologizes for ‘unforgivable words and passivity’
The New York Red Bulls, manager Gerhard Struber and striker Dante Vanzeir have all issued statements in the wake of a racist incident that occurred during Saturday’s game against the San Jose Earthquakes.
During the match, a scuffle led to a prolonged stoppage that resulted in an astonishing 21 minutes of extra time at the end of the game.
After the match, San Jose player Jeremy Ebobisse said he heard a racist remark – and footage from the match showed players on both sides reacting by pushing Vanzeir away from the scuffle.
Vanzeir, who recently arrived from Belgium, took responsibility for what he did in his statement, saying he “accepted any suspension, fine and counseling” as a result of his sentence.
None of the statements mentioned whether or not Vanzeir would be available for selection during this weekend’s home game against the Houston Dynamo.
New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir (center) apologized for making a racist comment
Saturday’s game was halted for more than 20 minutes as officials discussed how to proceed
Vanzeir’s statement read as follows: ‘I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to the Earthquakes players. I will do everything I can to be part of the change that needs to take place in this sport and our world.
“I also want to apologize to my teammates, coaches, the organization and our fans. I made a mistake and will take all necessary steps to grow.
“I accept full responsibility for my actions. While it was not my intention to harm or offend my language, I know I did and I am deeply sorry. I agree to any suspension, fine and advice imposed by Major League Soccer and the club.
“I will take this opportunity to better myself, reflect, and dedicate my time and efforts to working with organizations that address racial injustice.”
A statement from the club also apologized directly for the incident, calling the words and manager Gerhard Struber’s omission ‘inexcusable’.
“The New York Red Bulls sincerely apologize for the unacceptable events that occurred Saturday night during their game with the San Jose Earthquakes.
“The words and inaction were unforgivable and we believe there is never a place for it.
“We always strive for an environment that is inclusive and anti-racist. Our organization is committed to providing the resources to further train our players and staff, and to restore trust within our community.”
Despite pleas to move Vanzeir away from opponents and managers, New York Red Bulls boss Gerhard Struber kept the Belgian on the field until the 87th minute, when he was substituted
A statement from Struber was also released. However, his statement did not contain the words ‘apologies’ or ‘sorry’, despite his inaction being directly addressed in his club’s statement.
As the incident occurred and the extended hiatus continued, Earthquakes head coach Luchi Gonzalez said he was “adamant about suggesting that the player shouldn’t be on the field anymore.”
Despite this, Vanzeir was only taken off the field in the 87th minute.
Struber’s statement read: “During our game on Saturday I made a decision that I thought was the best given the information I had at the time. Although there was a lot of uncertainty at the time, with the information I know now, the right decision would have been to immediately remove Dante Vanzeir from the game.”