Escalation

MLS Launches Review of Nowak Statements [Updated Below]

Well, we're in for it now. MLS has announced that they are conducting a review of Nowak's alleged racist comments during the RSL-DCU game. The obvious inference is that Ellinger filed his complaint, but I'd like confirmation on that. If he did, then I damn well hope he has additional information to impart.

Now that Don Garber has put MLS into this situation, I hope it is handled strongly one way or the other. MLS should either determine that Nowak said "back to Africa" and suspend him for the year (and then DCU should fire Nowak) or they should determine that Nowak said "back to hospital" in which case they can suspend him for a few games for unsporting behavior (or not, if they believe he wasn't ordering that a player be roughed up). The worst thing they can do is look into this situation, and then pass with a statement like "we find no conclusive evidence that Piotr Nowak uttered racist commentary." If they do that, while it allows them to let everyone off the hook, it still tarnishes Nowak's reputation by letting it stay out there that he might have said it, only no one knows. MLS must make a determination on what was said for this to be fairly resolved, and publish openly the results of their inquiry. I do worry that they will look at the situation and punt. That would be the worst of all possible outcomes.

UPDATE 4:55PM DC United responds. They seem very confident in their language, predicting not only won't just punt on the issue, but instead "they will find that no such comments were ever made" or find the negative. I would imagine they wouldn't say that unless they were damn sure of themselves. And I hope they are, the league finds accordingly.