Los Angeles soccer team LA Galaxy has parted ways with player Aleksandar Katai over comments his wife made against protesters that the team calls “racist and violent.”
The Serbian midfielder apologized and took responsibility for comments his wife, Tea Katai, made this earlier week in since-deleted Instagram posts.
According to the Associated Press, Tea Katai’s posts, written in Serbian, included profanity and a call to “kill” protesters. Another referred to protesters as “disgusting cattle.”
“The posts made by my wife, Tea Katai, on her social media platforms were unacceptable. These views are not ones that I share and are not tolerated in my family,” Aleksandar Katai wrote in an Instagram post Wednesday. “Racism, particularly toward the black community, is not only prevalent in the United States and Europe, but across the globe. I strongly condemn white supremacy, racism, and violence toward people of color. Black lives matter. This is a mistake from my family and I take full responsibility.”
In a statement released Wednesday, the team pledged its support for the Black community and set a meeting for with Katai to “determine next steps.”
“Earlier today, the LA Galaxy were made aware of a series of racist and violent social media posts by Tea Katai, the wife of LA Galaxy midfielder Aleksandar Katai. The LA Galaxy strongly condemned the social posts and requested their immediate removal,” the statement said. “The LA Galaxy stands firmly against racism of any kind, including that which suggests violence or seeks to demean the efforts of those in pursuit of racial equality. The LA Galaxy stand with communities of color, and especially the Black community, in the protests and fight against systemic racism, social inequality, bigotry and violence. The LA Galaxy will hold a meeting with Katai on Thursday, June 4 and will determine next steps.”
Following Thursday’s meeting, the team announced it “mutually agreed to part ways with midfielder Aleksander Katai.”
The LA Galaxy have parted ways with Aleksandar Katai. pic.twitter.com/mcu0fTreC8
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) June 5, 2020