The youth academy teams of the New York Red Bulls have made the decision to pull out of the Generation Adidas (GA) Cup, citing an "extreme lack of action" by Major League Soccer (MLS) in response to two separate on-field racist incidents. The most recent incident occurred on Thursday when U-17 defender Eric Tai was racially abused by a player from Croatian side Hajduk Split, according to allegations made by the Red Bulls team. Sources present at the game confirmed that the referee recognized the racist language and sent the offending player off the field.

This incident followed an earlier allegation by U-17 goalkeeper Joshua Grant, who claimed he was racially abused by a player from CF Monterrey. Frustrated by the lack of action taken by the league, the Red Bulls U-17 players released a statement on Thursday expressing their disappointment and calling for attention to the ongoing problem of discrimination in football and society.

In response, the New York Red Bulls released a statement on Friday announcing their decision to withdraw both their U-15 and U-17 teams from the tournament. The club emphasized the importance of inclusivity and unity, both on and off the pitch.

While the Red Bulls' U-17 team was already eliminated from the tournament after being defeated by Hajduk Split in the round of 16, the U-15 team had advanced to the quarterfinals. However, they did not participate in the scheduled game against French side Toulouse on Thursday.

Hajduk Split is still scheduled to play in the U-17 quarterfinals, while CF Monterrey had already been eliminated but had played another game since the incident. Their consolation game was set to take place on Friday.

MLS has yet to respond to the specific incident involving Hajduk Split and the Red Bulls' withdrawal. However, MLS Next, the league's academy circuit, has released a statement acknowledging the allegations and the immediate suspensions implemented in accordance with their disciplinary code. They have also assured support and resources for all those affected by the incidents.

MLS Next had established measures prior to the tournament to address discrimination, requiring all participating teams to review anti-discrimination policies and banned terms. Individual calls were made to each club, and a reminder of the policy was sent via email on Monday, just hours before the Monterrey vs. Red Bulls game where the initial incident occurred.

The GA Cup, organized by MLS, is a prestigious youth soccer tournament that includes all 29 MLS academies and select international clubs. This year's participants featured prominent clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, River Plate, Flamengo, CF Monterrey, and Hajduk Split.

Eric Tai, who experienced the alleged racial abuse in the recent game, was previously a member of the Red Bulls U-15 team that won the MLS Next Cup last year before progressing to the U-17 team. Joshua Grant joined the Red Bulls academy this year from Real Salt Lake and is a youth international for Jamaica.

Grant took to Instagram on Thursday night, sharing his frustration and calling on the league to take action. He posed the question as to why players of color continue to be subjected to racist remarks by international teams and tagged organizations like Black Players for Change, MLS, and MLS Next Pro.

The incidents at the GA Cup highlight the significance of addressing discrimination in soccer and prompt further discussions about creating a safe and inclusive environment for all players, regardless of their race or background.