Manchester United Player Suspended for Homophobic Remark
Jack Fletcher, son of Manchester United legend Darren Fletcher, was banned six matches and fined £1,500 for a homophobic slur.
Jack Fletcher, a Manchester United midfielder and the son of club legend Darren Fletcher, has been suspended for six matches and fined £1,500 after making a homophobic remark during a match last October.
The comment came during United’s Under-21 match against Barnsley in the English Football League Trophy last October, according to The Guardian.
Around the 62-minute mark, Fletcher got into an argument with an unnamed Barnsley player, during which he referred to the player as a “gay boy.” Referee Will Davis then sent the 18-year-old off the pitch.
Fletcher later claimed in a written submission to the FA — the governing body of association football in England — that he had been provoked by the Barnsley player, alleging the opponent threw him to the ground and stamped on his Achilles while play was stopped. The player also reportedly made repeated personal comments about Fletcher’s father, Darren, and his twin brother, Tyler, who was also playing in the match.
In response, Fletcher allegedly told the Barnsley player, “You seem to know a lot about me, are you a gay boy?”
On March 4, Fletcher admitted he had made the homophobic remark and apologized for his actions. According to various news outlets, both the Barnsley player involved in the altercation and the FA regulatory commission accepted his claim that he had not intended the remark as a homophobic insult.
“I am truly sorry for the offensive word that I used in the heat of the moment,” Fletcher said in a statement. “Despite the fact that I had no intention to use the term as a homophobic insult, I completely understand that such language is unacceptable and immediately apologized after the game. I want to be clear that this momentary lapse of character absolutely does not reflect my beliefs or values.”
Manchester United said in a statement that it has “worked with Jack to strengthen his understanding of discriminatory language, and why it is harmful.”
Fletcher was banned for six matches for an “aggravated breach” of FA rules prohibiting “abusive and/or insulting words” that include references to “sexual orientation,” The New York Times reports.
Because he had already served a two-game ban immediately after the incident, Fletcher was suspended for four additional non-first-team competitive matches, the last of which takes place Friday, March 6. After that, he can resume playing.
Rainbow Devils, an LGBTQ Manchester United fan club, released a statement responding to Fletcher’s apology.
“We hope Jack learns from this and grows as a person and a player,” the club said. “His immediate regret and guilty plea suggests that he will.”
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