Major League Soccer (MLS) star Felipe Hernandez has just joined a club that no professional athlete wants anything to do with. The Sporting KC mid-fielders is the latest sports star to catch a suspension for violating his league’s gambling policy. Unfortunately for Hernandez, this is the second time he’s come up on the wrong side of a gambling problem and he could see some real consequences for his actions.
Details about Hernandez’s latest alleged gambling violation are vague but MLS officials have acknowledged that this latest incident involves violations of the conditions the league had set after the mid-fielder’s previous violation in 2021. After that incident, which involved wagers on MLS matches, Hernandez was suspended from the league but was reinstated in 2022. At that time, Hernandez reported himself to the MLS while claiming that his life was in danger due to his gambling.
At the time of his suspension, Hernandez appeared to understand the gravity of his situation and, according to the Yahoo! Sports, posted a heartfelt confession saying, “Over the last several months, I have been able to reassess, take responsibility for my actions and get the proper care for something that has greatly affected me.”
Though Hernandez sought treatment for his gambling problem after the 2021 incident, that treatment does not seem to have taken root, given his current situation. It’s also unclear whether or not Hernandez will receive the same support from his coaches and league officials as he did after his last incident, when it was generally agreed that he deserved a second chance.