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USL suspends Orange County Blues player for homophobic slurs targeting Robbie Rogers

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The United Soccer League has announced punishment stemming from an August 20th incident involving Robbie Rogers during his rehab match with the LA Galaxy II against the Orange County Blues.

Midfielder Richard Chaplow has been suspended two matches and fined an undisclosed amount for his use of abusive and offensive language towards Rogers in the last 15 minutes of the match between the two USL teams on August 20th.

Jake Edwards, President of the USL, stated, “The USL has zero tolerance for this type of behavior. We cannot, nor will we, condone any language that is counter to the values we have instilled throughout the USL.”

The punishment follows an announcement from MLS and USL that they were investigating the incident after Rogers wrote a post detailing the incident on his Facebook page.

Rogers, who has been openly gay since coming out four years ago, has stated that this is the first time he has received abuse of this nature during a match. The 29-year-old forward is rehabbing ahead of a return to the Galaxy after ankle surgery that has kept him out for nearly two and a half months.

Chaplow will miss the Blues next two matches, both against the Sacramento Republic, before being eligible to return on September 9th against Real Monarchs SLC.

Comments

  1. The arguments for and against punishing players for trash talk, silly SJW environment, etc aside…

    The title assumes too much. Mr. Chaplow continues to deny using a “homophobic slur”. His coach has released a statement that says the investigation cleared Mr. Chaplow of using a “homophobic slur”. The USL press release does not accuse Mr. Chaplow of using a “homophobic slur”.

    Some people who were accused of a “homophobic slur” by another person and then having the media report it as fact might consider a lawsuit against relevant parties if they are telling the truth. I wonder if Mr. Chaplow will.

    Reply
    • It’s a different situation, had he called Rogers those things instead this wouldn’t be an issue. It’s asking a lot for me to believe it’s a coincidence that this Chaplow guy used a gay slur to the one openly gay player (as far as I know anyway) in MLS. Even if gay slurs were normal trash talk for Chaplow, you’d think he’d be smart enough to change it up when he played against Rogers.

      Reply
  2. I’m guessing this guy will likely lose more PT due to being suspended … then cut because there were better options that emerged … then not be able to sign with any other team because f his baggage. So, if this is the case, Is being a homophobe/expressing homophobic language a career ender?

    Reply
    • Hopefully not.

      I’m not a fan of absolutes when it comes to human errors, mistakes or issues that someone can learn from and be given the chance to grow from. If he loses employment based on ability (or lack thereof) that’s on him. If he commits another offense of the same nature or equally damning, that’s also on him.

      However, you never know in the SJW climate we live in now days. Double-standards are running rampant and reasonable minds rarely prevail. This “Richard Chaplow” deserves his punishment, but shouldn’t be black listed because of a single mistake.

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    • I don’t think it should be a career ender, but that’s not the case here. He’s suspended for 2 games. Let him serve his punishment then we’ll see what happens. Wasn’t that long ago Alan Gordon called Will Johnson a homophobic slur, he got a 3 match suspension and got on with it.
      This whole plight of the homophobes thing that’s been going on in recent years is ridiculous to me. Gays getting married is like their holocaust or something. Not to mention with how PC the world is now (admittedly overly PC sometimes) they get called out for what they say, then they take it as an attack on them. It’s not! We just want you to stop harassing others. There’s never been a more ridiculous weak argument than “You’re discriminating against me, for not letting me discriminate against them”.
      Sorry for the rant.

      Reply
    • Hope Solo gets 6 months for using the word cowards after a game compared to 2 games for a homophobic slur directed at an opponent during the game. Doesn’t seem fair to me.

      Reply
      • Talk to us when Richard Chaplow does anything remotely close to committing domestic violence or actively participates in drunk driving and then we’ll talk about why his most recent incident warranted a 6-month suspension.

        Until then, don’t compare someone who made an idiotic mistake to a blatant criminal.

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