San Diego Soccer Team Forfeits Game In Protest After Opponent Hurls Homophobic Slur At Gay Player!

San Diego Loyal SC just scored a major goal — for shutting down homophobia!

On Wednesday, the professional soccer team walked off the field during a match that it was winning! Why? Because an opposing team member allegedly hurled a homophobic slur at openly gay player Collin Martin.

RED CARD!

The team’s official Twitter account took to the platform to explain the walk-off, telling followers that a member of Phoenix Rising “used a homophobic slur directed at Collin Martin.” The statement continued:

“In response we have decided to walk off the pitch in protest.”

AH-Mazing!

According to NBC Sports, San Diego was winning the match 3-1 when they decided to call it quits, which likely cost the team their chance at making the playoffs. The team’s head coach, Landon Donovan, acknowledged that the decision probably ruined their playoff chances but noted:

“There are more important things in life, and we have to stick up for what we believe in.”

Wow! Putting inclusion before glory — we’d never thought we’d see the day in sports!

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This isn’t the first time San Diego Loyal has walked off the field over an offsides remark. Last week, the team decided to forfeit its match against Los Angeles Galaxy over an alleged racist comment directed at a Black player by a member of the opposing team:

Last week we made it loud and clear that we do not stand for racism or homophobia. Nothing has changed this week. ????️‍????✊???? #AllBlackLivesMatter

— San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) October 1, 2020

After the September 23 incident, the Galaxy player was suspended for six games by the United Soccer League and ultimately released from the team. The San Diego squad’s chairman, Andrew Vassiliadis, said in a statement at the time:

“We don’t even want to recognize being a part of a match where these types of actions take place. The Loyal in our name is symbolic of the diversity in our community and as a club we will not stand for this.”

As for the alleged homophobic remark hurled at Martin, who came out in 2018 and was said to be the only out gay man in any major professional sport in the US at the time, the USL is said to be looking into the incident. The league wrote in a statement Wednesday:

“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 Rising also said it was launching a probe, sharing in a statement that it is “investigating the claim of a homophobic slur being used by one its players who has vehemently denied these allegations.” They added: