People make mistakes, but this one is close to unforgivable and perhaps should see a USL player in an American police station.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds forward Romeo Parkes turned into a very different sort of attacker during an incident with New York Red Bulls II defender Karl Ouimette.
A Canadian national teamer, Ouimette had been shown red and continued to chatter with Parkes as he walked off the field. Parkes responds by kicking Ouimette in the back as the defender walked away.
[ MLS: Columbus 4-4 Montreal | Whitecaps 2-1 Timbers ]
Ouimette needed to make taken off the field by stretcher, but later did board the team bus. The USL moved quickly to suspend Parkes. The league says it will begin a “full investigation” of the incident.
Regardless of injury, Parkes shouldn’t play again this year. Want to send a message? That’s how you do it. The USL should say, “This doesn’t stand in our league.” Even if it emerged that Ouimette said or did something incredibly heinous, does that change the fact that Parkes kicked a guy in or near the spine?
Parkes has apologized to everyone, including the city of Pittsburgh because, well, he better.To the fans, my teams, the city of PGH, NY Red Bulls 2 and the USL, I recognized that my action was wrong and inappropriate.
— Romeo Parkes (@ovando678) May 8, 2016
and I sincerely apologize and regret my actions. Despite the continous altercation throughout the game my further action after I was carded
— Romeo Parkes (@ovando678) May 8, 2016
Was unwarrented and i ask for my fans, the league and my teammates as well as the New York Red Bulls to accept my sincere apology.
— Romeo Parkes (@ovando678) May 8, 2016
Even tennis legend Martina Navratilova was moved by the incident:
Pro Soccer Player Kicks Opponent In The Back During Stopped Play- this guy should be out this year and next year IMO https://t.co/WStVorGNyw
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) May 8, 2016
Follow @NicholasMendola
