USL issues inconclusive verdict on alleged homophobic slur – The Athletic

It’s been eight months since Junior Flemmings, a then-Phoenix Rising player, directed a homophobic slur at Collin Martin during a game. Since then, the USL has been visibly proactive in combatting hate speech in its ecosystem. The following day, the league announced all of its players and staff would undergo sensitivity training in a partnership with the Institute for Sport and Social Justice (ISSJ). In April, it launched its  Forever Proud campaign to ensure that promoting stories about the LGBTQ+ community and positive allyship weren’t limited to the month of June. Before Phoenix and San Diego faced off for the first time since the original incident in April, both teams held sessions with their players rooted in restorative justice.