Major League Soccer announced Monday that Philadelphia Union sporting director Ernst Tanner has been suspended without pay until June 1 after an investigation found violations of league standards of professional conduct. The league also said Tanner must successfully complete a league-approved restorative practices program before he can return to work within MLS.
The suspension followed an investigation that MLS reopened in November 2025 after The Guardian published allegations of discriminatory workplace behavior involving Tanner. After the report appeared, the league began a new review led by outside counsel while the Philadelphia Union placed Tanner on administrative leave.
“Based on new information obtained during outside counsel’s independent review, the investigation substantiated violations of MLS policies and standards of professional conduct required of league and club leadership,” the league said in a statement.
Major League Soccer Statement pic.twitter.com/gpxjktV6qA
— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) November 19, 2025
The independent review was conducted by the law firm Littler Mendelson. MLS did not disclose which specific allegations were substantiated. Tanner’s suspension without pay began Monday, and it remains unknown whether he was paid during the period he had already been away from the club.
The Guardian report described multiple allegations gathered from 17 unnamed sources, including current and former Philadelphia Union employees. The newspaper detailed six of the eight allegations previously submitted by the MLS Players Association and described several incidents during Tanner’s seven years with the Union.
According to the report, Tanner repeatedly used racist, sexist, and homophobic language. The article said he stated “women don’t belong in men’s soccer” when referring to a Major League Soccer referee. It also described comments about Black players “like they were subhuman” and statements suggesting Black referees lacked intelligence. The report included allegations that Tanner inappropriately touched a co-worker multiple times.
MLS had previously investigated Tanner after the MLS Players Association filed a complaint the year before, but the league said it could not substantiate the claims during that earlier inquiry. Even though that investigation did not confirm misconduct, MLS required Tanner to participate in a professional workplace conduct program.
The allegations prompted a response from Mark Geiger, general manager of the Professional Referee Organization, who addressed the accusations in a statement to Action News.
“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,” Geiger said.
Tanner’s attorney denied the accusations when the investigation reopened. After the league announced the suspension, Tanner released a statement through the club addressing the situation.
“I regret the impact that this situation has had on the Philadelphia Union organization and its supporters,” Tanner said. “I remain proud of my work with the Philadelphia Union and look forward to my return and future work with the team.”
The Philadelphia Union supported MLS’s disciplinary action in its own statement.
“Based on the findings from Major League Soccer’s investigation, the Philadelphia Union supports the league’s disciplinary action and restorative practices program for Sporting Director Ernst Tanner,” the club said. “The Union will evaluate the best and appropriate structure for the organization following the disciplinary process. The Philadelphia Union remains committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone associated with our club.”
During Tanner’s absence, John Scheer, the Union’s Director of Academy and Professional Development, has served as interim sporting director. The Union told The Guardian that Tanner had also completed workplace conduct training earlier in his time with the club.
Tanner, who is from Germany, joined the Philadelphia Union in 2018 as the club’s second-ever sporting director, overseeing soccer operations. During his tenure, the team won two MLS Supporters’ Shield titles, awarded for the league’s best regular-season record, and he received MLS Sporting Executive of the Year honors in 2022.
The Union also won the 2025 Supporters’ Shield, and when the allegations surfaced in mid-November, the team had been viewed as one of the favorites to win the 2025 MLS Cup. The club’s results changed afterward.
Philadelphia lost 1-0 to New York City FC in the Eastern Conference semifinal. In the following months, the team also parted ways with four regular starters — Tai Baribo, Mikael Uhre, Kai Wagner, and Jakob Glesnes — from the roster that won the 2025 Supporters’ Shield.
The club then opened the 2026 MLS regular season with four consecutive losses, a historically poor start for a reigning Supporters’ Shield winner.
Supporter criticism during this period focused largely on club owner and chairman Jay Sugarman, with fans questioning spending decisions involving the roster. Attention also turned toward second-year head coach Bradley Carnell as the team struggled to regain form.
Reporting from The Philadelphia Inquirer said the Union does not plan to decide Tanner’s future with the club until the disciplinary period ends. Tanner has indicated that he intends to return to the position once he is eligible.
The league schedule creates a specific timeline for that possibility. MLS will pause play at the end of May for the upcoming World Cup, and Philadelphia will still have 19 of its 34 regular-season matches remaining at that point.
The secondary transfer window opens July 13, and the Union returns to league play nine days later with a midweek home match against the New York Red Bulls.
Philadelphia’s performance during the next portion of the schedule will determine whether the team remains in playoff contention. The Eastern Conference playoff threshold last season was 53 points, the highest requirement since the current format began in 2023. Teams that reach 44 points or more have historically qualified for one of the 18 MLS Cup playoff places, while the New York Red Bulls finished 10th in the East last year with 43 points, ending 10 points below the playoff line.
If the Union earn 12 to 15 points before the World Cup break, they would still need about 30 points across the final 19 matches to reach the postseason. If losses continue at a pace similar to the LA Galaxy’s historically poor start in 2025, the club could face leadership decisions before Tanner becomes eligible to return on June 1.
