FC Cincinnati coach Ron Jans has stepped away from his coaching duties while an investigation is conducted into a complaint made by the Major League Soccer Players Association, announced FC Cincinnati and MLS on Friday. A statement by MLSPA accused Jans of making "extremely inappropriate comments."
In a statement, MLS said an investigation had been launched in conjunction with the club.
“Major League Soccer has been informed of a complaint filed with the MLS Players Association regarding FC Cincinnati head coach Ron Jans. The MLS league office, in cooperation with FC Cincinnati, has begun an investigation into the matter," it read. "Jans has stepped away from his coaching duties with the team while this matter is being investigated."
FC Cincinnati added the following:
"FC Cincinnati was founded and operates with three core values: (1) being inclusive and family-friendly, (2) having a strong and visible presence in the community, and (3) winning on the field.
"When club leadership was made aware of the allegation, we were very surprised as building a caring and committed culture has been a focus of Ron’s leadership.
"We want to fully understand the nature of the incident and allow for an environment for our players to speak freely to any locker room issues. Therefore, while both the Club and Major League Soccer work together, Ron will step away from the team during the investigation.
"While the investigation is undertaken, the Club is also committed to ensuring every member of the club has a deeper appreciation and awareness for differences in cultures and backgrounds, and will institute training for every member of the organization.
"The Club will not have further comment on this matter until the conclusion of the joint investigation with MLS."
FC Cincinnati will begin the 2020 MLS season on March 1 against the New York Red Bulls.
