LAFC's Vela opts out of MLS tournament
Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela, Major League Soccer's reigning MVP and top scorer, is opting out of the league's return-to-play tournament in Orlando amid concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, the club confirmed on Monday.
Vela is skipping the 54-game tournament - which is scheduled to begin on July 8 - to remain at home with his pregnant wife and three-year-old son.
"I would like nothing more than to be with my teammates in Orlando. I always want to give everything I have to my Club, our fans and supporters and the city of L.A.," Vela said. "However, it is in the best interest of the health of my family to stay home and be with my wife during what is a risky pregnancy. I will miss being with my teammates and coaches, but I will be cheering and supporting LAFC from a distance."
Players were given the option to skip the tournament for health and family reasons. The league said in a manual distributed to players that family and friends will not be permitted to enter the compound, according to ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.
All games will be played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
MLS has already encountered numerous obstacles ahead of its return, and several teams have reported new cases of COVID-19 in recent days. Toronto FC and the Colorado Rapids delayed their respective flights to Orlando because of presumptive cases, and FC Dallas' opening fixture against the Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed after six of their players tested positive.
But the absence of Vela - who broke the single-season scoring record in 2019 with 34 goals in 31 games - is arguably the biggest blow yet. The 31-year-old has been one of MLS' biggest draws since joining the league in 2018, captivating a large part of the Mexican community.
Vela's international teammate, LA Galaxy forward Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, is expected to participate in the restart.
Billed as a made-for-TV event, the MLS is Back tournament was supposed to herald in the return of men's professional sports in North America, but a surge in coronavirus cases in Florida has raised doubts over the tournament's feasibility. Florida reported another single-day record of 10,059 new cases Sunday and confirmed a further 6,336 cases Monday.
Vela is far from the only notable athlete to withdraw from play. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher David Price is joining Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman in skipping the 2020 MLB season. Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, whose wife is pregnant, is also unsure if he'll play.
World Cup stars Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press, and Tobin Heath opted out of a National Women's Soccer League tournament in Utah in June, citing concerns over the pandemic.