EDITORIAL – Yesterday, Major League Soccer announced that Sebastian Lletget was fined and suspended two games for saying a homophobic slur (the P word) in a video he posted to Instagram. He will miss the Galaxy’s matches against Red Bully New York and Seattle Sounders. Let’s break down what this Sebastian Lletget suspension means for the club and what message the league is sending.
Sebastian Lletget Suspension: Measured Punishment Given Remorse
On the field, it’s unclear how the Galaxy will fill Lletget’s role on the wing. Kévin Cabral’s status is uncertain, given he’s joining the club from France and needs to get integrated into the team. Manager Greg Vanney could replace Lletget via a platoon including Cameron Dunbar and Efraín Álvarez.
I’d expect Dunbar to start tomorrow against RBNY. If Cabral is available for the next game, he could make his debut at right midfielder/wing against Seattle.
Now on to the statement the league is making, how Lletget will be made an example, and hate speech within American Soccer.
For me, this punishment is fair. If we’re looking for precedent, Alan Gordon was suspended three games, given an undisclosed fine, and assigned to attend diversity and sensitivity training in 2013 for calling an opponent a homophobic slur.
Gordon similarly knew the moment he spoke that he was in trouble and regretted it. Lletget was suspended one game fewer, but context matters. Gordon said the word during a game to an opponent in anger. Should Lletget be forgiven for saying it in a joking tone while pranking a teammate? No. But clearly it’s not as heinous as Gordon’s situation.
Still, the P word has become a term weaponized for hate and there is zero-tolerance for its use in the American soccer community.
The player immediately came out an acknowledged fault and took responsibility. He’s shown his humanity in that and in moving forward to use his negligence and idiocy (seriously, you say the P word while recording on your phone?).
The league’s punishment is making an example of him. He’s expressed a commitment in righting this wrong (and the messages it sends) going forward. There’s that John Wooden quote “you haven’t taught until they’ve learned.” Hopefully now Lletget has learned and so have the rest of the players and coaches in MLS. Because I and most in the soccer community are tired of having to re-listen to this lecture.
