Chido Awaziem, a defender for the Colorado Rapids, recently alleged that an opposing player used a derogatory term against him during their Concacaf Champions League match against Los Angeles FC. This incident occurred near the end of the game, where the Rapids were trailing 1-0.
After a set-piece play involving Awaziem and LAFC’s Sergi Palencia, Awaziem approached the referee, Pierre-Luc Lauziere. He seemed upset and asked the official to address what had happened. The referee paused the match for about five minutes to discuss the situation with both players, other officials, and coaches from both teams. However, no action was taken, and the game resumed. Awaziem later confronted Palencia after the final whistle.
Post-match, Rapids head coach Chris Armas spoke out, confirming Awaziem’s claims about the derogatory term. Armas stated, “Awaziem was clear and upset. Our club fully supports him as we look into this.”
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo commented on the matter as well, affirming that one of Colorado’s players had reported hearing something troubling. While he did not witness the incident himself, he expressed his intent to support players who feel impacted by such situations.
Concacaf has announced an investigation into the incident. They plan to review reports from the match officials, check available video footage, and consider the statements from both teams. A Concacaf spokesperson mentioned, “We will take a thorough look at what occurred between Awaziem and Palencia during the match.”
Both clubs have expressed their commitment to cooperating with the investigation. The Rapids stated they fully support Concacaf’s inquiry, while LAFC assured they would cooperate completely.
Under Concacaf’s policies, any player found to have used derogatory terms could face serious consequences, including possible suspension. As it stands, LAFC won the match 1-0, advancing to the knockout stage of the Champions Cup with a 2-2 aggregate score, benefiting from away goals.
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