MLS Team Revokes Longtime Journalist's Credential Despite Her Claiming She Was Simply Doing Her Job

MLS team FC Cincinnati has decided to revoke journalist Laurel Pfahler's credentials for two weeks. Unfortunately, teams banning journalists has become far more common over recent years, but this particular instance has developed into quite a unique one.

Pfahler, who has covered the team for various outlets since it began in the USL in 2015 before landing her current role at Queen City Press, initially broke the news over the weekend.

"While I do not want to get into details of why my press credential has been revoked, I want you to know I vehemently disagree with the club on this decision," she wrote on Patreon, according to Awful Announcing.

"The club has not accused me of violating any guidelines listed in the MLS Notice of Credentials Use Conditions. I stand by my reporting and ethics."

While most would assume FC Cincinnati would stay away from the situation, especially given the very professional and non-combative statement from Pfahler, the club took a different route.

On Thursday, FC Cincinnati shared a lengthy statement on its official website accusing Pfahler of failing "to act in accordance with the standards and practices of the Society of Professional Journalists and the MLS Notice of Credentials Use Conditions." The statement also stated Pfahler refused to "accept responsibility for her action."

The club's statement did not address specific details or accusations relating to her two-week suspension, but based on Pfahler's response, she was simply doing her job.

Pfahler is alleging that her credential was revoked because she was simply speaking to sources "outside of the facility or team approved interviews."

If that is the case, it's a ridiculous decision by FC Cincinnati.

Reporters and journalists are meant to speak with outside sources, it's one of the most common practices in the profession.

Teams at both the amateur and professional level employ team writers who are paid to solely promote the team, but Pfahler is a journalist independent of the club. Her paycheck does not come from FC Cincinnati.

The fact that FC Cincinnati made the decision to publicly address and scold Pfahler causes reason to believe there may be more to the club revoking her credential, but that's purely speculative.

If all Pfahler was doing was speaking with sources - an important aspect of her job - then it is a highly questionable decision by FC Cincinnati to ban her from covering the club.