CHESTER — The setting of meetings like Wednesday’s has changed over the last seven years for the Philadelphia Union.

In November or December, on Zoom or in Chester, after excruciating regular-season endings or excruciating postseason exits — whenever or wherever the meeting has been held — for the last seven seasons, Ernst Tanner has been there.

Wednesday, his specter had to suffice. It was augmented by caveats, however dutifully the statements designed to skirt them had been prepared, that wouldn’t budge the underlying truth.

Tanner last month was placed on administrative leave by the Union, as MLS reopens an investigation into allegations of racist and sexist comments in the workplace.

Tanner was cleared of wrongdoing in a probe last year, but complaints fielded by the MLS Players As

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