Major League Soccer (MLS) and the owners of FC Dallas are condemning death threats made against a Black player who criticized fans for booing players that knelt during the national anthem.
Reggie Cannon, speaking after a match in Frisco, Texas, between FC Dallas and Nashville SC earlier this week, said it was “absolutely disgusting” the way fans reacted.
“You got fans booing you for people taking a stand for what they believe in. Millions of other people support this cause and we discussed with every other team and the league what we’re going to do and we’ve got fans booing us in our own stadium,” Cannon said.
The blowback on social media to Cannon’s comments included racist and threatening comments.
“We want to be clear: We love and support Reggie Cannon,” said Dallas team owners Clark Hunt and Dan Hunt. “The racist comments and death threats he has received are repulsive and unacceptable.”
MLS Commissioner Don Garber also condemned the online threats.
“As we have stated consistently over many years, Major League Soccer supports players and staff who protest peacefully on behalf of equality and social justice,” Garber said in a statement. “Some of the comments made on social media following the match were appalling.”
“We want to be very clear that MLS will not tolerate any abuse or threats to any individual player or team who decides to exercise their right to peaceful protest during the playing of the national anthem or any other pregame ceremony,” Garber added.
Cannon, 22, joined FC Dallas in 2017.
The Dallas-Nashville game was the first MLS match played in a team’s home stadium this season. The league resumed play earlier this summer with an “MLS is Back” tournament in Orlando, Fla.
Dallas and Nashville did not play in the tournament due to positive COVID-19 test results.