Former Nashville SC player Laurence Wyke has filed a lawsuit against United Soccer League, LLC, SixOneFive Soccer has learned. Filed in Hillsborough County, Florida, the suit seeks damages in excess of $50,000, alleging defamation relating to a suspension issued by the league in 2022.
Wyke, who played with Nashville in 2023 and currently plays for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, was given a 12-match suspension on October 10, 2022 for what the league called "racially discriminatory behavior". The incident allegedly took place during a game between Wyke's Tampa Bay side and Monterrey Bay FC on October 2, 2022.
INBOX: The USL has suspended Tampa Bay Rowdies mid/defender Laurence Wyke for 12 games and issued an undisclosed fine after an investigation into allegations of racially discriminatory behavior. pic.twitter.com/gIS9lJ5cZl
— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) October 11, 2022
Tampa Bay defended Wyke and denied the allegations, and appealed his suspension.
"We stand behind Laurence because there is zero audio or visual evidence suggesting he behaved in a racist manner," the club said in a statement. "We stand behind Laurence because several Rowdies staff and players witnessed the events and confirmed the same.
Four days after the initial suspension was handed out, an independent review panel overturned the suspension. Wyke was immediately reinstated and played 90 minutes the following day. In all, he missed two matches while the league conducted its investigation.
After spending a year with Nashville SC in MLS, Wyke returned to the USL Championship. He made 31 appearances with Phoenix Rising in 2024, and re-signed with Tampa Bay in 2025, where he's played in all but four of their matches this season.
In June 2023, Wyke filed a lawsuit against United Soccer League, LLC, alleging defamation. In his suit, Wyke alleges - among other things - that he and the Tampa Bay Rowdies asked USL not to release the findings of their investigation until the appeal had been heard and decided, but that USL refused. He also says that USL declined to provide a copy of the report to him or to the Rowdies, or allow them to respond prior to releasing their decision.
"USL’s false statements that Mr. Wyke engaged in racial harassment or discrimination directly led to media reports and commentary across the country stating that Mr. Wyke engaged in racist conduct and condemning Mr. Wyke for being a racist," the suit alleges. "The Statement, when considered alone and without innuendo, injured and will continue to injure Mr. Wyke in his trade and profession as a professional soccer player as well as for the remainder of his professional and personal life, adversely affecting Mr. Wyke’s ability to earn income in the future."
The case is currently in the discovery phase, with the suit demanding a trial by jury.
