A former senior marketing executive for Major League Soccer (MLS) has filed a bombshell lawsuit in New York federal court, accusing the league of retaliatory firing after he repeatedly raised concerns about racial discrimination within its upper ranks.
Cedric Shine, who is Black, says the league’s leadership orchestrated a campaign of retaliation that ultimately ended his career, left his reputation tarnished, and caused lasting damage to his emotional and professional well-being.
Promotion Denied, Then Granted—But With Strings Attached
According to the lawsuit filed Friday, Shine was initially passed over for a promotion in favor of a white colleague. He claims the decision reversed only after he complained to human resources, landing him the title of senior director of cultural marketing.
But instead of support in his new position, Shine alleges that MLS executives retaliated, creating what he described as a “toxic leadership” environment. The defendants in the complaint include Vice President Marciela Garcia and Chief Marketing Officer Radhika Duggal, whom Shine accuses of stonewalling his work, pulling funding from events he spearheaded, and fabricating complaints about his job performance.
