Major League Soccer executives undermined a black marketing director after he complained that they gave a promised promotion to a white colleague — then fired him, he claimed in a lawsuit.
Cedric Shine, who began at MLS in December 2022 as a brand marketer, was fired in May after months of poor treatment from top bosses at the soccer league, he said in a July 18 Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit.
Shine, 41, said he was told he was about to be given a new job as senior director of marketing for the league when new direct supervisors were installed in February.
But days later, the new bosses reversed course, he said in court papers.
“The decision to block Shine’s promotion came mere weeks after Shine’s new supervisors terminated one of the few Black Directors in the Marketing Department, Justin Cox,” according to the lawsuit.
The higher level job was instead given to “a Caucasian MLS Marketing Director,” Shine said in the legal filing.
When he complained to MLS’ human resources department about the move, “and its racial implications,” Shine was promoted “over his supervisors’ objections” — triggering a “campaign of retaliation against him,” he claimed.
Bosses berated him, lied about him showing up late for work, slashed his marketing budget and would abruptly leave events he organized, leaving MLS corporate partners and MLS executives “in attendance to question why marketing leadership was leaving the event and reflected extremely poorly on Shine,” he said in the litigation.
Questioning “their views” on his performance “would be frowned upon” and that he “would be seen as someone who lacks the ability to accept constructive criticism,” bosses allegedly told Shine, he claimed in court papers.
When other officials and MLS higher-ups ignored his complaints of retaliation, “Shine attempted to schedule a meeting with MLS Deputy Commissioner Gary Stevenson, who oversaw the leadership team that had been retaliating against Shine.”
Instead of a meeting with Stevenson, Shine was fired, according to the lawsuit.
“As a proximate result of MLS’ conduct, Shine has been adversely affected in his employment and career, emotional well-being, the quality of his life and in his normal life’s pursuits, and Shine believes MLS’ conduct … has and will continue to have a negative effect upon him.”
Shine is seeking unspecified damages.
The league, which has instituted anti-racism campaigns in the wake of several high profile incidents, denied Shine’s accusations.
“Shine’s allegations of retaliation have no merit and the League intends to vigorously defend the recently filed lawsuit,” MLS said in a statement, adding the league is committed “to providing an equitable and inclusive environment.”
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