Bedoya won't be disciplined for gun violence comments

Major League Soccer has decided not to penalize Alejandro Bedoya after the Philadelphia Union midfielder used an on-field microphone to plead with Congress to end gun violence during Sunday's match, a league official told The New York Times' Victor Mather.

Bedoya raced to the touchline after scoring in the opening minutes of Philadelphia's 5-1 victory over D.C. United and grabbed a microphone concealed by the corner flag, shouting, "Congress, do something now! End gun violence! Let's go!"

The remarks from the 66-time capped United States international come after mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, killed 29 people.

"Seeing more thoughts and prayers bullshit. Words without actions are just worthless. America, it seems, is becoming a dystopian society. Do something!!! Enough!!!" Bedoya said on Twitter prior to Sunday's match.

Asked about the incident following the match, Bedoya said, "It's absurd, man. I'm not going to sit idly and watch this stuff happen and not say something. Before I'm an athlete, before I'm a soccer player, I'm a human being first."

Both the Union organization and head coach Jim Curtin expressed support for Bedoya following the match. "I'm on Alejandro's team on the Philadelphia Union and I'm on Alejandro's team in support of his comments on gun control," Curtin said, according to Mather.