Nowak Denies Allegation About Comment

D.C. United Coach Peter Nowak denied accusations yesterday that he made an off-color comment about a Real Salt Lake player during an MLS exhibition match Friday in Bradenton, Fla.

In an interview with Utah radio station KZNS, Real Salt Lake Coach John Ellinger accused Nowak of making "some inappropriate remarks" about rookie Atiba Harris, who is from the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Real officials believe Nowak said Harris, who is black, should be "sent back to Africa." Asked on the radio broadcast if that's what Nowak said, Ellinger responded, "You're in the ballpark."

Reached in Florida, Nowak said: "I'm really, really hurt about people saying this. Everybody knows the history in my country [Poland], about human rights, the Germans, our struggle. Someone who accuses me of this is embarrassing."

United President Kevin Payne, who was sitting on the team bench during the game, said in a prepared statement: "The D.C. United personnel who were on the bench at the time, including me, heard no such comment nor anything like it."

Payne described the incident by saying: "In an angry response directed at the referee following the third reckless and dangerous tackle by a Real Salt Lake player, Peter did shout that the player needed to be 'sent back to hospital.' . . . The Real Salt Lake technical staff reacted, at that moment, as a group, apparently misunderstanding what Peter had said."

Harris, who is on a tryout during spring training, was assessed a yellow card early in the game.

United forward Jamil Walker said he was on the bench when the incident occurred.

"Peter was telling [United rookie Kenney Bertz] to get back at their player," Walker, who is black, said in a telephone interview. "The guy was big and reckless, and he shouldn't have even been in the game. When Kevin told me after the game what the Real guys were saying, I was like, 'That's funny because that's not what he said.' Everyone heard it."

Nowak speaks broken English and sometimes has to repeat himself in interviews with English-speaking reporters.

Ellinger, a Montgomery County native, was traveling yesterday and couldn't be reached for further comment, but a team spokesman said the club was considering filing an official complaint with MLS.

"Obviously it's heat of the moment and you are responsible for what comes out of your mouth," Ellinger said in the radio interview. "It's pretty discouraging for our players as well as his players."

Added Payne: "In our view, this incident is 100 percent a misunderstanding. Those people that know Peter know that such a comment would be completely at odds with his character."