Union sporting director Ernst Tanner is accused of racist, sexist, and homophobic behavior

A report published Tuesday by the Guardian, an English news outlet with a large U.S.-based sports staff, accused Union sporting director Ernst Tanner of a series of incidents involving racism, sexism, and homophobia directed toward people around American soccer.

The report centers on a “wide-ranging” complaint filed by the MLS Players Association with the league in January containing eight allegations. Since then, the Guardian said it has heard from “17 sources” who “have alleged numerous misbehaviors spanning nearly the entirety of Tanner’s seven-year tenure with the Union,” including those mentioned in the MLSPA’s report and other alleged incidents.

Figures allegedly targeted by Tanner include several referees, including Tori Penso.

Although Penso has officiated top-level games for many years, including the 2023 women’s World Cup final, Tanner is accused of repeatedly criticizing her since 2020, including multiple claims that women should not be involved in men’s soccer.

A native of Germany, the 59-year-old Tanner has been the Union’s sporting director since 2018. His lawyer gave a statement to the Guardian saying that Tanner “denies ever intentionally making insensitive gender-based comments.”

The article said another veteran referee, Nima Saghafi, was the target of an allegedly homophobic slur by Tanner in a game in 2023. The MLSPA accused Tanner of racist remarks toward an assistant referee at a game in the same season.

In a statement to the Guardian later shared to The Inquirer, Professional Referee Organization general manager Mark Geiger said: “If these remarks are proven to be true, we are appalled. Such comments — and any form of discriminatory language — are deeply irresponsible, wholly inappropriate, and have no place in our game or in society. We take great pride in our diverse roster of officials who serve the professional game across North America, demonstrating leadership, integrity, and respect. Every PRO official has earned their place through hard work and dedication, progressing along the pathway solely on merit."

According to one source who spoke with the Guardian, Tanner “consistently would speak about African players like they were subhuman.”

He is also accused of enabling allegedly discriminatory behavior, including racism, by former Union II coach Sven Gartung. Tanner hired Gartung in early 2020, and he lasted only 5½ months in the job.

Beyond games, the Guardian reported that in 2019, the Union’s human relations department was notified about allegations that Tanner had “engaged in inappropriate physical contact” with a female employee by touching her buttocks “numerous times.”

The Guardian’s reporter, Pablo Maurer, said the outlet saw emails regarding the notice and heard from “nine sources familiar with the incidents.” Those sources said they had not received any response from the team, and the Guardian’s report said the sources claimed “the club’s handling of that complaint is par for the course.”

The report further claimed that “over a dozen current and former Philadelphia Union employees say that complaints concerning Tanner’s behavior have been submitted to the club’s HR department but that they have seen no evidence of a response.”

Tanner’s lawyer told the Guardian that Tanner “firmly denies these accusations, some of which are six or seven years old. Throughout his career spanning over three decades in professional soccer around the globe, Mr. Tanner has worked fairly and effectively in a diverse, multicultural world upholding high standards of professionalism.”

The Union told the Guardian that Tanner “was found to have made potentially insensitive gender-based comments early in his tenure, for which he underwent training and had discussions with club leadership.” The team also said it was “not previously aware of the allegations in the MLSPA complaint.”

“The Philadelphia Union takes all allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and is unwavering in our commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all players, staff, and members of our community,” the statement said.

When reached Tuesday by The Inquirer, the team declined to comment beyond that statement.

MLS said it launched an investigation immediately after receiving the MLSPA complaint.

The Guardian reported that “Tanner was never placed on leave after the investigation began in January because MLS couldn’t corroborate the claims against him,” and that the investigation was closed within the last few weeks. But the outlet also said the league “found the alleged behavior, if true, to be unacceptable” and “a ‘clear violation’ of league policy.”

The league told the Guardian that Tanner had been required to follow a “structured remedial program focused on professional workplace conduct.” The report noted that Tanner has had to go through that training twice, along with the team’s “annual sensitivity training,” which is required of all staff.

MLS and the Union told the Guardian that if new information comes forward, both may investigate Tanner further. The league has an anonymous reporting hotline, and the team said that “should any new information emerge, the Philadelphia Union will act quickly and appropriately, in accordance with our policies, and will continue to cooperate fully with the league.”