Winnipeg soccer team allegedly targeted by racist taunts bounces back to advance to provincial final

A Winnipeg youth soccer team is hoping a tournament that began under a dark cloud will end with a provincial championship this weekend.

AK Academy will play in the Boys' Under 17 final of the MSA Cup on Saturday, less than four weeks after one of their players was allegedly targeted with racial slurs.

"For them to make finals, it just showed us that you know what? Even with all this nonsense that's going on, our boys are still focusing on what they need to do," said Evelyne Kiwanuka, the player's mother.

Kiwanuka says her 16-year-old son was twice called the N-word during the team's opening game of the tournament on July 3 against 1v1 Futbol Dreams.

The second of those incidents, near the end of the game, touched off a fight on the field, when Kiwanuka's son responded by shoving a 1v1 player. Video of the fracas shows another AK player shoving an opponent, followed by a 1v1 player throwing a punch.

Some of the players were suspended as a result of the fight, according to parents of AK players.

When contacted by CBC, the Manitoba Soccer Association would not confirm who was suspended or the length of the suspensions.

The MSA held two disciplinary hearings on July 25 over video call — one for each 1v1 player who allegedly said a slur. But Kiwanuka said both players denied saying anything during the game, which shocked her and her son.

"My son was like, 'I'm not sure why I'd be making this up. I'm here to say this happened because it happened,'" Kiwanuka said.

When contacted for this story, 1v1 Futbol Dreams did not respond. They previously told CBC the team would not comment until an outcome is reached by the association.

Kiwanuka said she was told the disciplinary committee — which is independent from the MSA — will relay