DC United forward Taxi Fountas denies using racist slur towards Inter Miami's Damion Lowe as MLS investigates incident

By Matias Grez and Wayne Sterling, CNN

Updated 0909 GMT (1709 HKT) September 20, 2022

DC United forward Taxiarchis Fountas is subbed off against Inter Miami during the second half at Audi Field on September 18.

(CNN)DC United's Greek forward Taxi Fountas has denied using a racist slur towards Inter Miami's Jamaican defender Damion Lowe during Sunday's Major League Soccer (MLS) match.

MLS says it is investigating the alleged incident, which took place on the hour mark as Fountas, who had just scored for DC, got into an altercation with Lowe. The situation escalated and both Fountas and Lowe, who is Black, were booked by the referee, before Miami's players huddled together and spoke to manager Phil Neville.Neville then spoke with United manager Wayne Rooney, his old England teammate, who chose to substitute Fountas out of the game.Racist chanting mars Real Madrid's 2-1 derby victory over Atlético MadridIn his post-match press conference, Miami fullback DeAndre Yedlin said he spoke to Neville and said the players were «not going to continue until something was done with that player and if nothing was done, we weren't going to continue.»Read More«Damion and another player got into a little bit of a scuffle, as Damion was walking away, the guy called him the N-word.»In a statement posted to his Instagram account, Fountas said he «did not use the word I am being accused of using.»«That despicable racial slur is one I denounce and did not use,» the statement read. «We had a hot discussion on the field, but I have not racially abused anyone. I firmly reject racism in any form, it is despicable.»I have many friends from many cultures. I always respect the culture, religion and skin color of each person, I am therefore very upset by