Coach and Sporting Director Condemn Homophobic Chant at San Diego FC’s Historic Home Opener

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego FC’s first home game took a sour turn when fans repeated a homophobic chant in the second half. This overshadowed the excitement of the match against St. Louis City, which ended in a scoreless draw at Snapdragon Stadium, filled with 34,506 fans celebrating the team’s Major League Soccer debut.

Coach Mikey Varas and sporting director Tyler Heaps were upset about the chant. Varas spoke out during the postmatch press conference, addressing the issue directly. He highlighted that the chant goes against the club’s values and doesn’t represent San Diego or its community.

“The chant we heard tonight is unacceptable,” Varas stated in both Spanish and English. “It doesn’t reflect who we are or what we stand for. Our community is built on love, support, and diversity.”

Varas clarified that the chant did not come from the main supporter group, La Frontera. “It was from a broader section of the crowd,” he noted, stressing that while not all fans participated, it was significant enough to cause concern. He made it clear that such behavior has no place in their stadium. “If fans continue to chant like that, they might as well not come to the games,” he said.

This chant has been a problem not just in San Diego but also at Mexican national team matches, often directed at the opposing goalkeeper during goal kicks. It’s been a recurring issue, leading to fines for the Mexican team from FIFA and disruptions in games, including matches against the U.S. national team.

Heaps echoed Varas’s sentiments, emphasizing the club’s commitment to values that promote kindness and respect. “What we witnessed is totally against who we are,” he said. “We will work to ensure this behavior does not continue.”

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