Various media have reported that D.C. United has fired Head Athletic Trainer Reade Whitney after he allegedly made a discriminatory hand gesture in a photo, which was posted on social media.
The team issued the following statement: “There is no place for racism, homophobia, misogyny, or discrimination of any kind in our sport and world and D.C. United do not tolerate any acts of this nature.”
The incident took place during festivities involving the MLS All-Stars. Specifically, during a photo shoot on the National Mall, Whitney flashed a hand gesture that “has been adopted by white supremacists in recent years,” according to the Washington Post.
The hand signal has traditionally been used to signal ‘OK,’ according to the media. “But the practice of touching a thumb and index finger together while outstretching the other three digits was listed as a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation league in 2019.”
