West Ham United players walk off after player gets racially abused in 7-a-side tournament
A seven-a-side clash between West Ham United and Dallas United was abruptly halted after the English side walked out because of the alleged racial slur, according to Daily Mail.
It has come to light that a Dallas player was accused of directing the n-word at West Ham's Frank Nouble during the inaugural event in North Carolina. Dallas, in an unsurprising turn of events, have withdrawn from the tournament, with their Friday game being cancelled. However, they insist it was a decision made willingly, countering rumours suggesting disqualification.
West Ham United's Anton Ferdinand was captured on social media in a visibly aggravated state, not holding back his emotions. According to Daily Mail, he warned an opponent:
"Why are you looking at me for? I’ll punch you up," before declaring to another, "I am here to set a precedent, now," right before his team marched off.
On Thursday night, tournament organisers issued a statement:
"After conducting an investigation into the final moments of the match between West Ham United and Dallas United, we have concluded that Dallas United violated TST’s code of conduct.
"We have been in dialogue with leadership from both clubs, and we are all aligned that the best path forward is Dallas United withdrawing from competition."
In a response, Dallas expressed their decision to step back from the competition, revealing in a statement (via Daily Mail):
"In light of the shadow cast by an opposing player’s accusation during tonight’s match, the Dallas United players unanimously decided to withdraw from the remainder of the competition. Our coaches and staff fully support the team’s decision. We thank TST7v7 for the opportunity to compete in the tournament."
According to Daily Mail, when approached by ESPN about the incident, Ferdinand simply said 'racism' as the reason without providing any further details.
West Ham United could sack David Moyes amidst uncertain future
David Moyes' future is hanging by a thread as the club reevaluates its association with the Scot ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina. An undercurrent of uncertainty runs through the club's corridors as confidence in Moyes has dipped since the end of the Premier League season.
According to the Guardian, Moyes' fate may hinge on whether West Ham United can clinch their first major trophy in 43 years. The situation is in flux, with expectations of Moyes' tenure being secure being as recent as last week after taking West Ham to their first European final since 1976.
Despite these positives, a definitive decision about Moyes' future at the helm is yet to be made. The belief among the club's decision-makers is that a win against Fiorentina in Prague would make it unfeasible to replace Moyes. However, a loss could tip the scales against the manager.