August 10, (THEWILL) – Major League Soccer club, DC United, announced on Thursday, that they have terminated the contract of Greek forward, Taxiarchis Fountas, following an investigation into allegations of racial abuse.
The 27-year-old was placed on administrative leave last month after being accused of using prohibited discriminatory language against a fellow player during a heated on-field clash. In a statement, DC United said: “There is no place for racism, homophobia, misogyny, or discrimination of any kind in our sport and world and DC United do not tolerate any acts of this nature.”
The club did not provide details on the specific incident that triggered Fountas’ suspension and release. MLS also issued a statement affirming its commitment to “eradicating racism from the game.” However, the allegation reportedly stemmed from an on-field argument between Fountas and DC United teammate Nigel Robertha, who complained of receiving a racial insult from the Greek striker. Fountas was previously accused last year of using a racial epithet against an opponent from Inter Miami, which he denied.
Fountas joined DC United ahead of the 2022 MLS season and scored 11 goals in 26 appearances for the club. His departure leaves DC with a gap to fill up front as they push to qualify for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The club and league’s swift action demonstrates the seriousness with which they are taking accusations of racism amid efforts to eliminate discrimination in soccer.
The termination of his contract brings an abrupt end to Fountas’ time in MLS as the league continues to uphold a zero tolerance policy for acts of racism or discrimination on the field. DC United will now focus on the remainder of their 2022 campaign without the services of their former leading scorer.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
