On Tuesday, The Guardian published an investigation into the allegations against Philadelphia Union sports director Ernst Tanner. History shows that since his arrival at the Union in 2018, Tanner's significant success has been accompanied by numerous allegations of inappropriate behavior, including alleged racist, sexist and homophobic comments towards opposition referees and players, as well as an allegation of unwanted touching of a Union employee, which was referred to human resources.
The bulk of the allegations reported by the Guardian are contained in a complaint filed MLS Players Association (MLSPA) of the league. The league launched its own investigation in January, which recently concluded without confirming the allegations.
Tanner issued a statement in response to the Guardian's report through his lawyer, which said in part: “Mr. Tanner strongly denies these allegations, some of which are six or seven years old.”
Pablo Maurer investigation can be read in full herebut here's the basic thing you need to know about this story.
Who is Ernst Tanner?
Tanner is the athletic director of the Philadelphia Union, a Major League Soccer team, the top men's league in the United States and Canada. Typically, people in his position are responsible for roster construction, player transactions, and the hiring (or firing) of the head coach and other football-related personnel, similar to a general manager in other American sports. The responsibilities of an athletic director can vary from team to team, but in Tanner's case they include near-total control over all football-related aspects of the Union organization, according to multiple sources, including current and former employees. This includes not only the MLS team, but also the reserve team (Union II) and the club's academy system for young players.
What is he accused of?
The MLSPA complaint alleged eight instances of misconduct, and the Guardian was able to find supporting evidence for six of them from 17 sources and related documentation. The Guardian can separately report additional allegations based on reports from these sources. So Tanner presumably has:
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Reacted to the referee's contact with an opposing player by saying: “Why don't you kiss him, faggot” so that nearby fans could hear it.
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Made a variety of misogynistic comments, including saying “women have no place in men's football” about a female MLS referee, and telling assembled academy players that they should “never worry about a referee unless she's a woman.”
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Talked about black players “as if they were subhuman” and suggested that black referees “lack intelligence and ability.”
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Touched a co-worker inappropriately “on several occasions” and was reported to the union’s human resources department.
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Hired an unqualified coach who allegedly abused players at Philadelphia Union II, the club's reserve team which is used as a testing ground for young players from its thriving academy.
How did Tanner and others react?
Tanner himself made a statement to the Guardian through his legal representative.
“Ernst Tanner strongly denies these allegations,” the statement said, “some of which are six or seven years old. Over the past seven years as athletic director of the Philadelphia Union, Mr. Tanner's strong and capable leadership has helped the Union win two fans and an Eastern Conference title.”
“Throughout a career spanning more than three decades in professional soccer around the world, Mr. Tanner has worked honestly and effectively in a diverse, multicultural world while maintaining high standards of professionalism. Mr. Tanner remains proud of the team's success this season and his work with the Philadelphia Union.”
Tanner's legal representation also provided five statements from Tanner's current and former colleagues at the Union, which broadly asserted that he promoted a productive and inclusive work environment.
The Philadelphia Union acknowledged that at least one of the allegations made in MLSPA's complaint was addressed internally: that Tanner “was identified as potentially insensitive to gender-based comments,” the union said in a statement. “The club has taken steps to address this behavior, including through training and discussions with club management about appropriate behavior in the workplace.”
For its part, Major League Soccer acknowledged that it had received a complaint from the MLSPA, adding that the claims had not been verified. MLS said it conducted a months-long investigation during which it contacted “more than a dozen” subjects, most of whom spoke. According to The Guardian, investigators contacted 13 people, interviewing eight of them. MLS completed its investigation in September but told the Guardian it could not substantiate the allegations.
However, MLS said Tanner “was required to participate in a structured remedial program focused on professional conduct in the workplace” – the second such training he was required to complete, in addition to the club's annual sensitivity training.
What's next?
The Philadelphia Union are in the middle of the MLS playoffs and will face New York City FC in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday. As for Tanner, both MLS and the Philadelphia Union said in statements to the Guardian that the investigation into Tanner's conduct could be reopened if more information becomes available. The league has an anonymous reporting line and says it has distributed this information to all of its clubs.
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