The Portland Timbers have terminated the contract of midfielder Andy Polo following allegations this week of domestic abuse, the club announced Thursday.
The decision comes after Polo’s initial suspension by Major League Soccer, which was announced Wednesday.
"The Timbers were previously aware of a dispute between Andy Polo and his partner on May 23, 2021, that resulted in the Washington County Sherriff’s Office citing Polo for harassment," the Timbers said in a release. "That citation was not subsequently pursued by the victim or the prosecutor’s office.
"We deeply regret not suspending Polo immediately, especially considering the troubling new details of abuse that surfaced this week. It was a failure on our part, and one that will never happen again."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Polo, a 27-year-old Peruvian international, originally joined Portland in 2018.
