After teammate Reggie Cannon was subjected to racist attacks and death threats for his outrageous comments following FC Dallas’ game against Nashville SC on Wednesday, Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer had a simple message.
His teammates, and the entire organization, have Cannons back.
“My reaction is that it’s just awful. I’m afraid this happened to Reggie,” Maurer told reporters at a Friday night conference call. “I’m angry that happened to my teammate and someone I feel close to. It’s just totally unacceptable for it to come to such a point about a peaceful protest and demonstration of trying to raise awareness of human rights. and equality.It’s just completely ridiculous.
“All I can talk about is these specific actions and just say that these extreme reactions to just, again, just trying to call attention to equality and systematic racism and violence against Black people and its history and its enduring nature in ‘ t these times it’s just awful that Reggie has to experience this backwardness.Why does it even matter so much to Reggie? We were all with Reggie, the whole team.I did not receive any death threats. all came together as a team, we made the decision as a team. It’s just totally unacceptable. “
Cannon’s first comments came at his post – game press conference following Dallas ‘1-0 defeat to Nashville – both teams’ first game back in 2020 after they had to return from the MLS’s Back Tournament due to positive COVID-19 test results . All players of both teams took a knee during the national anthem prior to the kickoff in a demonstration of solidarity with the movement Black Lives Matter, to which some fans responded by bowing, singing “USA” and throwing objects on the field throw, and more direct vitriol at Cannon on social media after the game.
“I think it was disgusting. I think it was absolutely disgusting,” Cannon said after the game.
FC Dallas head coach Luchi Gonzalez pointed to Maurer’s sentiment that the organization supports Cannon and all players in the league who want to express their support for the ongoing move. Gonzalez said his issue was not necessarily with bowing, which is technically legal, even if he disagrees, but that throwing objects on the field crosses the line and must be met with discipline.
“I will say several things: I am proud of our club and have a position that is very clear that is against social injustice and racism,” Gonzalez said. “Of course there are different ways to express that. There were decisions from players, staff, fans, people about how to continue to demonstrate that. We are all different. But what I’m very sure of is that we are no different, is that core belief and that value of being against racism and social injustice.I am very proud of the team, I am very proud of the staff and the club, to be very clear about this and united and together in that way.
“How that is expressed is a very personal thing. You saw all the players from both teams and staff members show their demonstration,” he added. “And there was a reaction from some fans, not the majority, but some. And that’s their right to boo. There’s nothing illegal about it. There can be an emotion and disappointment as a coach or as a player about may not get that support, but that’s their right.Now you throw something on the field as an object that are things that are against the code of conduct that has been written, and that’s not acceptable. to me there must always be consequences [for that]. “
Asked about what happened in his conference speech on Friday, Nashville coach Gary Smith said the organization also supports the demonstrations of solidarity. All Nashville players also took a stand with the Dallas players on Wednesday.
“What I will say is that myself, the organization, the senior staff and the property, we strongly support our players and of course the staff at the game in their decisions about how they want to express themselves,” Smith said. “I think everyone has the right to have that ability. Whoever wrote in the club, no matter how many people are involved, they also have a right to an opinion, but I think we should also keep that in mind, and certainly I want to keep it clear: We strongly support equality and social justice in the fight for this process. “
