VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A wave of Whitecaps fans have walked out of a match at B.C. Place — the second time in under two weeks — protesting the team’s response to allegations of abuse by a former coach.
Southsiders supporters group invited fans to join them in leaving the match at the 35th minute, calling for the organization to deal with the serious allegations.
There they go. A wave of people have just left the stands at @WhitecapsFC. Organizers with @Southsiders say they won’t be satisfied until all the female players who made accusations feel they’ve been heard. @CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130Traffic @BT_Vancouver pic.twitter.com/sz9sBSnLSn
— Ashley Grace Burr (@AshleyBurr_) April 27, 2019
Southsiders’ Vice President Paul Sabourin-Hertzog says he’s looking forward to seeing what changes will come.
“I think they have an opportunity really to engage with this issue directly and to start rebuilding public trust in the club and its management of, particularly, youth athletics,” he says.
“I would say that what happened today was a start but not an end to this issue, I am actually really hopeful that the stuff that they said was really positive.”
RELATED: Southsiders plan second walkout in response to Whitecaps misconduct allegations
Whitecaps asked for a meeting with the supporters group ahead of the match this morning, but Sabourin-Hertzog declined to say what changes were promised by the team’s management.
They’re walking out again. Despite @VancouverWhite1 asking fans to a meeting earlier in the day, it‘s not enough for the @Southsiders who say they will still walk-out of today’s game to protest the team’s response to abuse allegations. @CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130 @BT_Vancouver pic.twitter.com/9BAFiZsXGt
— Ashley Grace Burr (@AshleyBurr_) April 27, 2019
