Canada Soccer condemns 'hateful' racist comments made toward Alphonso Davies, Jordyn Huitema
Star players, who are in a relationship, flooded with racist comments on social media
Canada's soccer body posted a message on Twitter on Saturday condemning "hateful" racist comments directed toward Canadian national soccer team stars Jordyn Huitema and Alphonso Davies, who are in a relationship.
A photo posted to Huitema's Instagram account in late August of the two players vacationing in Spain drew more than 14,000 comments, including some that were offensive.
Canada Soccer posted that the organization "stands firm against racism and discrimination of any kind both in the game and around the world. We are appalled with the hateful comments made to members of our players through social media.
"Share love not hate and work together for a better world."
Canada Soccer stands firm against racism and discrimination of any kind both in the game and around the world. We are appalled with the hateful comments made to members of our players through social media. <br><br>Share love not hate and work together for a better world.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoToRacism?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoToRacism</a>
—@CanadaSoccerENCanadian national men's team head coach John Herdman echoed the sentiment, posting a message on Twitter
"We see the best in human nature from Alphonso/Jordyn two kids I've worked with and then the worst with the moronic comments from the small minority of humans that will just never get it.... " Herdman wrote.
We see the best in human nature from Alphonso/Jordyn two kids I've worked with and then the worst with the moronic comments from the small minority of humans that will just never get it.... <a href="https://t.co/HErmEWAjGL">https://t.co/HErmEWAjGL</a>
—@coachherdmanCanadian women's head coach Bev Priestman said via social media that she was "absolutely disgusted" at the racist comments.
Davies, 20, was named the top Canadian men's soccer player for 2020 and co-winner of the Lou Marsh Trophy, which is awarded to Canada's top athlete, last week. This past season, he helped his Bayern Munich club capture the German championship and went on to become the first Canadian man to win a Champions League title.
Huitema, 19, signed a four-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain of the French Division 1 Féminine in 2019, and has seven goals in 27 appearances with the club.
"We will never see good in the world if all we see is the colour of each other's skin," Huitema said in a subsequent post. "We are all part of one race, the human race."
WATCH | 2020 showed the whole of sports is greater than the sum of its parts:
With files from The Canadian Press
