USL investigating claim Loyal's Collin Martin, who came out publicly as gay in 2018, was abused by Rising's Jamaica international Junior Flemmings, who says accusation is "false"
Friday 2 October 2020 08:59, UK
A US soccer player says he was "truly moved" after his San Diego Loyal team-mates walked off the pitch in protest when an alleged homophobic slur was used against him.
Collin Martin, the only out gay player in US professional men's soccer, has strongly defended his claim a homophobic insult was directed at him by Phoenix midfielder Junior Flemmings during their USL Championship match on Wednesday.
He says he reported the abuse to the referee during the match, but the official misinterpreted this and sent him off.
Martin claims the matter was cleared up with the officials, before Flemmings then tried to "backtrack".
"Flemmings came over and told me that he knew of my 'situation' (I'm an out gay man) and that he didn't call me a slur," Martin wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
"Why would he say that slur to me if he knew I was gay?"
After the half-time break, Loyal players and staff - including their manager, United States icon Landon Donovan - returned only to take a knee at the start of the second half before walking off the pitch.
Footage from ESPN later emerged of the heated touchline exchange between both managers and the referee following the incident, with Donovan heard threatening his players would not continue playing if Flemmings was not sent off.
In the clip, Donovan tells opposing manager Rick Schantz "this is beyond soccer".
Martin says it was a "collective decision" by San Diego Loyal to walk off the pitch.
"They had my back and wanted to make a statement that we aren't going to stand for this hate in our game," he said.
Donovan later explained his team's decision in a video message on Twitter.
"Our guys said we will not stand for this and they were very clear in that moment that we are giving up all hopes of making the play-offs," he said.
"They are beating one of the best teams in the league but they said it doesn't matter and there are more things important in life and we have to stick up for what we believe in.
"They made the decision to walk off and I have tremendous pride in this group and I am really proud of this organisation and that I get to be a part of it."
Both Phoenix Rising and the United Soccer League say they are investigating the matter and released statements on Wednesday.
"We are aware of the alleged use of a homophobic slur in tonight's match between San Diego Loyal SC and Phoenix Rising FC," a USL statement read.
"Foul and abusive language of any type has absolutely no place in our society and will not be tolerated in USL matches.
"An investigation is currently underway to determine the facts surrounding the incident and more information will be provided as soon as it is available."
Phoenix co-owner Brandon McCarthy said Flemmings "unequivocally" denied using the slur, a claim which was backed up later on by the Jamaica international midfielder himself.
"This evening in our match against the San Diego Loyal I was accused of making a homophobic slur towards a San Diego Loyal player. This accusation is false and my fellow team-mates will support my claim," Flemmings said on Twitter.
It was the final fixture in the Loyal's inaugural season in the second tier of US football, with the California club still in the hunt for a playoff spot and leading Phoenix 3-1 before the incident.
The incident comes a week after the Loyal chose to forfeit a USL Championship match against LA Galaxy II after an opposition player used a racial slur.
Defender Omar Ontiveros was fined, handed a six-game suspension by the league and eventually cut from the Galaxy roster.
