Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber clarified remarks he made this weekend about far-right-wing supporters at New York City FC games, reiterating the league’s position on inclusion and diversity and strongly condemning hate groups in an exclusive interview on Thursday with The Athletic.



In a conversation with a group of reporters on Sunday, Garber was asked about a recent Huffington Post story on the extremist presence at NYCFC games—a development previously reported by The Athletic in November. The Huffington Post story outlined the activities of several fans, including Irvin “Irv” Antillon, who has a documented history with multiple hate groups groups and reportedly was present at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va.



Garber’s response—that the story was about behavior taking place outside of MLS stadiums, and that “our job is not to judge and profile any fan,”—drew criticism for being weak on...