Las Vegas Lights FC striker Irvin Parra out Saturday after comments

LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Lights FC forward Irvin Parra is facing disciplinary action from the team following his startling claim on Instagram about some Lights players not receiving due compensation. The length of Parra’s punishment is unclear, but he won’t suit up with his teammates Saturday against New Mexico United, per Lights head coach Eric Wynalda.

“He will be facing disciplinary action,” Wynalda said. “It was unacceptable. We had a long meeting yesterday to talk about what exactly was said and the way it was interpreted. He’s gone back on Instagram — I believe — and issued an apology because his statements were misleading. This had nothing to do with the club not paying him, let’s clear that up. That isn’t the issue. It was a separate situation that forced him or caused him to say that. So, it’s unfortunate, but we as an organization find his actions unacceptable. He’s been punished for it and we’ll move forward, but he will not be participating against New Mexico.”

Parra, the Lights’ captain, leads the team with eight goals this season and is tied for the team lead in assists with three. He wrote an apologetic note on his phone and posted a screenshot of it to Instagram on Monday before turning his account private and deleting every single one of his posts.

“We’ve paid all players 100% what they are contractually due and every payment in our club’s history has been paid on time,” Lights owner and CEO Brett Lashbrook told Soc Takes staff writer Nipun Chopra regarding the matter.

Chopra also contacted USL headquarters to see if any Lights FC players had filed formal complaints about not being paid; they hadn’t.

It’s unusual to see a team’s captain publicly airing out a grievance like this on social media in the middle of the season, so perhaps this isn’t the last time that whatever financial qualms Parra alluded to resurface. For now, the issue has been laid to rest.

The Lights will surely miss Parra’s services while he’s out, especially this Saturday. New Mexico United, despite being an expansion side, currently sit atop the USL Championship Western Conference standings with 25 points from 15 matches. The Lights, meanwhile, are in 14th place with 14 points through 14 games played.

If Las Vegas has any advantage going into Saturday’s contest, it’s the rest factor. The Lights dealt with a crammed May schedule, but will be on a full week’s rest when this weekend rolls around. That’s not the case for their opponent.

“This is a long week for them,” Wynalda said of New Mexico. “They have to go to Colorado (on Wednesday) to play in the Open Cup against the Rapids.”

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT at Cashman Field.

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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