Philadelphia Union sporting director Ernst Tanner has been placed on administrative leave by his team amidst an ongoing investigation into his conduct, which has been reopened by Major League Soccer (MLS) following a report published earlier this week.
The allegations against Tanner, including racist and sexist language, inappropriate physical contact with staff members, and making misogynistic comments about female officials, were first reported in the Guardian's investigation. The league had initially concluded its investigation into the claims last September but has since decided to reopen it after new evidence came to light.
Tanner denies all the allegations, stating that he will cooperate fully with the League's investigation to clear his good name and reputation. However, the claims against him have been supported by a wide range of sources, including former players and employees of the Philadelphia Union, who spoke to the league as part of their initial investigation.
The move comes as a surprise to fans and colleagues alike, given Tanner's reputation as one of the most respected executives in MLS history. During his seven-year tenure, the club won its first two trophies, produced multiple US national team players, and established a thriving academy that has generated significant revenue through transfer fees.
As the Philadelphia Union navigates this challenging period, fans are left wondering how the team will respond to the allegations against Tanner. With the MLS playoffs underway, the Union's focus is now on finding stability behind the scenes as they prepare to face NYC FC in the Eastern Conference semi-finals on Sunday evening.
The incident highlights the complexities and challenges faced by women and minorities in professional sports, where racism, sexism, and homophobia are still prevalent issues that need to be addressed. The ongoing investigation into Tanner's conduct serves as a reminder of the importance of creating a safe and inclusive work environment for all employees.
Tanner's future with the Philadelphia Union remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the team will have to navigate this difficult situation while maintaining its commitment to excellence on and off the field.
The allegations against Tanner, including racist and sexist language, inappropriate physical contact with staff members, and making misogynistic comments about female officials, were first reported in the Guardian's investigation. The league had initially concluded its investigation into the claims last September but has since decided to reopen it after new evidence came to light.
Tanner denies all the allegations, stating that he will cooperate fully with the League's investigation to clear his good name and reputation. However, the claims against him have been supported by a wide range of sources, including former players and employees of the Philadelphia Union, who spoke to the league as part of their initial investigation.
The move comes as a surprise to fans and colleagues alike, given Tanner's reputation as one of the most respected executives in MLS history. During his seven-year tenure, the club won its first two trophies, produced multiple US national team players, and established a thriving academy that has generated significant revenue through transfer fees.
As the Philadelphia Union navigates this challenging period, fans are left wondering how the team will respond to the allegations against Tanner. With the MLS playoffs underway, the Union's focus is now on finding stability behind the scenes as they prepare to face NYC FC in the Eastern Conference semi-finals on Sunday evening.
The incident highlights the complexities and challenges faced by women and minorities in professional sports, where racism, sexism, and homophobia are still prevalent issues that need to be addressed. The ongoing investigation into Tanner's conduct serves as a reminder of the importance of creating a safe and inclusive work environment for all employees.
Tanner's future with the Philadelphia Union remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the team will have to navigate this difficult situation while maintaining its commitment to excellence on and off the field.
. can't believe it's true tho, I mean racist and sexist comments are a big no-no, especially from someone in his position. the fact that new evidence came out and the league decided to reopen the investigation is pretty serious too 
. hope Tanner cooperates fully and gets cleared of all this but it's hard not to doubt him now 
. fans are gonna be worried about how this affects the team, especially with playoffs coming up... fingers crossed they can pull through 
And from what I've seen, a lot of these sources coming out against him seem kinda sketchy... I mean, what's their angle? Are they just trying to stir up drama? 
Tanner's reputation is toast, no matter how many trophies he won, and it's a good thing he's not taking this as an excuse to try and spin it like nothing happened... the fact that some of his own players and staff members came forward with these allegations says everything. And what's even more laughable is that people are already trying to defend him because they're used to him being "the smart one" behind the scenes 
Meanwhile, the real issue here is how many other teams have had similar problems going on without getting called out for it... time for some accountability in MLS.
. I've been a huge fan of Philly Union for years and Ernst Tanner was like a dad figure to me - always seemed so down-to-earth and fair-minded. But if these allegations are true, it's heartbreaking. Like, what kind of environment can you create when you're allegedly using racist and sexist language? It just goes against everything that sports is supposed to be about 
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. Fingers crossed everything gets sorted out soon! 
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. But at the same time, I'm glad the league is taking these allegations seriously and reopening the investigation 
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. Women and minorities in sports are already facing so many challenges and it's heartbreaking to think that some folks might be making their job harder than it needs to be 
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or at least taking it more seriously. tanner's legacy is already being tarnished by these allegations 
40% of people believe Tanner is guilty, but only 20% think he's innocent... according to our latest poll 
He's been with the Union for 7 years and won some major awards, so it's weird that this comes out now when the playoffs are happening 
60% of his former colleagues are saying they were subjected to inappropriate behavior by him... those stats are giving me LIFE 
What kind of environment are we talking about where this stuff gets swept under the rug? 