New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir has admitted to using a racial slur in Saturday night’s game against the San Jose Earthquakes, apologizing for his actions and later saying he’d be stepping away from the team “until further notice.”
After the game, Earthquakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse alleged an unnamed Red Bulls player used a a racial epithet in the second half. Replays showed that Vanzeir appeared to be the player in question, with Ebobisse and other Quakes players angrily confronting the Belgian.
In a Red Bulls statement released Monday night, Vanzeir offered an apology and said he’d accept whatever suspension was coming his way.
“I want to sincerely apologize to the players of the Earthquakes,” Vanzeir said. “I will do everything I can to be part of the change that needs to happen in this sport and our world.
“I also want to apologize to my teammates, coaches, the organization and our fans. I made a mistake and will take all the necessary steps to grow.
“I accept full responsibility for my actions. While I did not intend to cause any harm or offense with my language, I know that I did and for that I am deeply sorry.
“I will agree to any suspension, fine and counseling that is handed down by Major League Soccer and the club.
“I will use this opportunity to better myself, reflect and dedicate my time and efforts to work with organizations that tackle racial injustice.”
On Tuesday, the Red Bulls released another statement saying that Vanzeir “will step away from the club until further notice.”
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) April 11, 2023
In their first statement, the Red Bulls added that they “wholeheartedly apologize for the unacceptable events that transpired on Saturday night during the match with the San Jose Earthquakes.
“The words and inaction was inexcusable, and we believe there is never a place for it.”
Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber has been under fire for his decision to not sub Vanzeir out of the game — which Earthquakes coach Luchi Gonzalez said he’d requested.
Struber has now said that his decision to leave the forward in the game was a mistake.
“During our match on Saturday, I made a decision that I thought was best given the information I had at that moment,” Struber said.
“While there was a lot of uncertainty at the time, with the information that I now know, the right decision would have been to immediately remove Dante Vanzeir from the game.”
Vanzeir joined the Red Bulls this past offseason from Belgian club Royal Union Saint-Gilloise for a fee of over $5 million, making him the club’s second-highest signing ever.
[lawrence-related id=17136,17141]