"It was more than an argument," a source from the Fire said of the halftime altercation between the MLS team's coach Denis Hamlett and star defender Bakary Soumare on Aug. 9 in Houston. "There was a physical altercation, and the team had to deal with it quickly and assess a fine." According to the source, the altercation occurred after Soumare and midfielder Logan Pause became involved in a heated conversation and Hamlett intervened.
"The locker room can get heated and we bring a lot of passion to our game days. Even when this happens, a line cannot be crossed," Fire technical director Frank Klopas said in a statement. "The team has moved past this incident regarding Denis and Bakary and our focus remains on bringing the MLS Cup back to Chicago this season."
Soumare did not play on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Galaxy. The defender has received interest from European clubs, but is under contract for the remainder of the season. The Fire has turned down a number of offers to loan him out to an international club before the MLS transfer window closes Sept. 15.
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