Two players expressed the concern that speaking out about issues of race could jeopardize a player's Simon said that during her first year playing at Sky Blue, nothing "out of the ordinary" happened. New subjects include details on why former Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue was fired in July of last year. The world of professional soccer, and professional sports more broadly, presents unique questions about what constitutes inappropriate conduct by coaches and other staff. The current policy states that prohibited retaliation could include adversely affecting working conditions, and the revised policy should expand upon what it means to adversely affect working conditions and provide specific examples, such as ostracizing or ignoring players, denying players training opportunities or playing time, or showing favoritism toward players. Which duo has the most goal contributions in Europe this season? . 94, wrote that the staff were "not good" and generally stated there was "sexism and manipulation," and that "the combination of poor coaching and a destructive leader summ[ed] up [their] season." Another player told Courage leadership that Riley had been verbally abusive and created a culture of fear" in which players could not express opinions, and that other coaches had allowed Riley to engage in this behavior. 47, The stated purpose of the USSF Dames Investigation was "to understand the experience of the players and provide U.S. Soccer legal advice with respect to whether the alleged misconduct by Dames, to the extent that it occurred, is acceptable from the head coach of a National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) team from the perspective of U.S. In this email exchange, Bailey did not mention the player survey responses stating that Dames created a hostile work environment and that he made sexist, racist, abusive, and other prejudicial remarks directed at players. Kurtz said that she found the text to be "weird" and was confused as to whether Riley was trying to invite her to the bar. The Joint Investigative Team's recommendations are forward-looking and systemic in nature; rather than recommending discipline as to specific individuals or entities, the Joint Investigative Team's recommendations seek to improve the NWSL's policies and practices to prevent misconduct to ensure that players and staff within the League and its clubs feel safe and confident in reporting misconduct. One player recalled that six players spoke during the meeting; only one returned for the next season. On Monday, the 43-year-old was elevated to head coach of the defending National Women's Soccer League champion Thorns, filling the void left when Wilkinson, a former Canadian international,. coach, and Alyse LaHue, the former general manager of Gotham F.C., each received two-year suspensions from the league. When asked about his comment, Burke claimed that he was not making light of the incident, but rather that he was upset about it. ), The actions of League and U.S. Soccer personnelfrom the Leagues founding, through its years under U.S. Soccer management, to the presentdemonstrate that misconduct does not announce itself, but requires proactive prevention and detection, the report says. Despite receiving players' reports of verbal and emotional abuse by Dames, she took no action to suspend Dames or otherwise prevent further misconduct during the investigation. The statement did not mention the investigation into Riley's conduct or his termination, and did not provide any reason for Riley's departure. Another player described the way Riley spoke disparagingly about players' weight to another coach, in the open, where other players overheard. When the Thorns received Shim's complaint in 2015, the club conducted an investigation that was too narrowly scoped, that was not conducted in a trauma-informed manner, and that lacked follow-up on indicia of additional sexual misconduct towards Sinead Farrelly or on comments by Riley regarding players' sexual orientation. Reis was placed on unpaid administrative leave and is required to participate in mandatory training regarding retaliation, discrimination, harassment and bullying, and must participate in mandatory executive coaching. One player identified by Cromwell and Greene as having been involved in the March 2022 investigation was informed that the club was either waiving her or buying out her contract. Holly grabbed Simon's wrist and forced her to touch his penis. In May 2018, U.S. Soccer's investigator spoke to Press regarding her complaint that Dames "verbally and emotionally abuse[d] . Although the sex did not continue in Portland, Riley continued to fixate on Farrelly, and she continued to feel that he could put her in a position in which she could not refuse him Another player said the overall environment was "abusive." The power of players' voices to call attention to and combat misconduct is evident; the steps the League has taken, including commissioning this joint investigation with the NWSLPA, have already had a meaningful impact. The player called this behavior an example of how Holly was manipulative. C. She also feared Holly would ruin her career. Club statement. Players also expressed concerns about the financial viability of their individual clubs. Three players said that they heard Dames make racist remarks, including referring to black players as 'thugs and telling one Black player that she was acting like a gang member after a game in which [she] played aggressively." The Joint Investigative Team found no evidence that any of the 2020 player survey responses were elevated to Levine or anyone working in HR at the League. The statement said LaHue has remained in conversation with investigators. Players Experienced an Array of Interpersonal Misconduct and Reports of That Misconduct Were Mishandled. "The lack of clearly established responsibilities allowed individuals within these institutions to disclaim personal responsibility for player protection and to turn a blind eye or shift blame to other individuals and entities, while players were left exposed to further misconduct and unsafe environments. Paulson noted that Wahlke kept coming back to the determination of no unlawful harassment. However, Novo told the Joint Investigative Team that the club was not seriously pursuing Riley at the time and that he does not recall hearing anything bad" about Riley. She said that Dames knew of her plans, and when he saw her leave the hotel to visit her boyfriend, he texted her to schedule a meeting for 15 minutes later. Distribute Annual Player Surveys and Promptly Investigate Allegations of Misconduct Raised in Responses One club staff member stated that Dames would give the team three days off, but would not inform them until the day before, leaving the team "stuck [and] not able to get out of Illinois. The staff member said, I don't know if that's him being controlling, but also noted that it felt like Dames didn't like people leaving market." Some players reported feeling that the incident left them feeling attacked, scared, and on edge. Simon felt like she owed him, because she believed he played a role in getting her a spot at the camp. The NWSL should ensure as part of its vetting process that prospective owners entering the NWSL express their personal commitment to protecting player safety, to combatting misconduct in all its forms, and to facilitating appropriate reporting of concerns. It did not ask the League to withhold or keep confidential any information about the investigation. In December 2013, Whisler emailed Cheryl Bailey that he had "sat with [a player] and addressed" her concerns about Dames; he then speculated, "Whatever the [player's] story is now it is window dressing likely because she wants more money." One player noted, It was really pushed into our brains, 'don't say anything."" The report stated that "Dames and Whisler offered credible explanations" for Dames's behavior in one incident. Despite this high turnover, the NWSL has proven to be more resilient than its predecessor leagues. Truth Be Told: The Fight for Women's Professional Soccer, stream on ESPN+. Another player also reported that Williams said, I'm going to ream her, I'm going to rip U.S. Soccer's 2019 Consideration of Riley for U.S. Women's National Team Coach One player, who was vocal about racial equity, told the Joint Investigative Team that Burke and an assistant coach pressured her to leave her "blackness off the field" and discouraged her activism. Both the Breakers and FC Kansas City folded in 2017. NJ/NY Gotham FC, having put in the past the ghosts of their former Sky Blue FC selves and all the baggage that came with it, have been thrust back into a state of uncertainty. Emails show that Paulson, Wilkinson, and Thorns President of Business Mike Golub were included in conversations with Garcia surrounding the investigation and that Paulson and Wilkinson edited some of Garcia's outreach to players. But the story had been percolating since June 28, when I reported via Twitter that Alyse LaHue was away from the team. One player said the team reached its "breaking point" when Benstiti gave a speech about diet during a losing streak in the summer of 2021. The NWSL should store all certifications in a central location. And after players reported concerns about Aaran Lines through the NWSL's player survey, the club removed him from his coaching position and installed him in the front office. In 2021, responding to an email that mentioned the USSF Dames Investigation, Whisler wrote that Dames was "fully investigated" based on "an anonymous tip from a disgruntled former player," and that U.S. Soccer found that "no action was required." According to one former Sky Blue player, Holly told a player in the weight room that when he saw her squat, he wanted to grab her ass. He also asked this player if she preferred boxers or briefs. Even within the soccer world, the player explained, a tone appropriate for the field would not be appropriate in other settings, such as locker rooms, team dinners, or one-on-one meetings with players. The Joint Investigative Team also reviewed documents collected from the League relating to League organizational structure, policies, and trainings regarding harassment, abuse, and discrimination, as well as documents related to complaints and reports of misconduct and investigations into those reports of misconduct, and communications between League personnel. Riley admitted in 2015 that he deleted Shim's email without showing it to anyone in a higher position of authority at the Thorns or the NWSL. Players and club staff also described observing or learning of derogatory comments, negative stereotyping, and jokes about race and ethnicity by several other club coaches and leaders. Following that email, Riley's behavior towards Shim changed: he barely acknowledged Shim, and her playing time noticeably dropped. Hammond acknowledged that he did not follow up with Kurtz after the call to share any steps that were being taken or to see if there had been any improvement in Riley's behavior. The separation agreement included mutual non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions, and a mutual release of claims. 20, Farrelly briefly, and the players left the apartment. According to Kurtz, Riley denied her request, telling her the club need[ed]" her. Later that month, the NWSL adopted a Non-Fraternization Policy as part of its Operations Manual. However, player confidentiality and safety were not the motivating factors in the Thorns's decision to withhold information about Riley's misconduct from the Flash and the Courage. The Joint Investigative Team spoke to Simon, who shared details of Holly's sexual misconduct. Require Separate Individuals to Hold Key Club Leadership Roles A peek at LaHue's normally busy Twitter account suggests that things began to go south sometime around June 18, when her account last posted. For example, players reported that Dames would make comments about players' personal appearances. 112, As it moves forward, the NWSL should continue to take affirmative steps to empower players, hear their concerns, and implement reforms in response to player concerns. The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy further explains that [p]rohibited retaliation could include any of the following actions if taken because of a player/employee's involvement in Protected Activity: termination of employment, demotion, transfer to less desirable position, suspension, failure to hire or consider for hire, failure to give equal consideration in making employment decisions, failure to make employment recommendations impartially, adversely affecting working conditions, or otherwise denying any employment benefit." 30, requests from the Joint Investigative Team, making it likely that Paulson understood that there would be limitations on the NWSL's ability to share it. Shim said that particularly after that night, she was scared and feared Riley could physically try to restrain her or try to have sex with her. A third player reported that Pauw's presence limited players' training routines, and that she could not use the apartment complex's weight room because Pauw prohibited players from lifting weights on the belief that it would make them "bulky. Multiple players reported hearing that Williams referred to this player, a leader in the locker room, as "toxic." Club policies should also inform individuals of the reporting channels listed in the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy and should remind club staff of their obligation to report potential policy violations to the NWSL HR Office or NWSL General Counsel. A second investigation into systemic abuse in the National Women's Soccer League was released Wednesday, providing further details of how the league, its clubs and the U.S. Soccer Federation failed to protect players and allowed misconduct to run rampant throughout the 10-year-old league. In written responses to questions posed by U.S. Soccer and provided to the Joint Investigative Team, Flynn In multiple investigations by the NWSL, no written report, summary, or other record of findings was prepared, and findings were not broadly shared. In many cases, a lack of separation between players' professional responsibilities and personal lives allowed staff members to exercise undue influence over players. 2. Levine denied receiving a readout or final report of the investigation and assumed if something material came out of it," the NWSL "[would have] been made aware." There needs to be a separation of power and more protection for players." On September 16, 2015, Shim reported Riley's conduct to the Thorns and to the NWSL. Following the publication of the Athletic article in 2021, Paulson stated in Golub's presence that "Mike [Golub] spent a lot of time on the phone w/Aaran Lines" when the Flash were considering hiring Riley. Ms. LaHue has sat for approximately seventeen (17) hours of interviews and continually requested access to materials related to her case.. Club and U.S. Soccer personnel repeated the Thorns's characterization of Riley's conduct as poor judgment for years. Cromwell also sought to exclude the players she believed to have been involved in the March Investigation from her efforts to improve the locker room culture. Starr recalled that a couple of weeks later, she met with Simon again, and Simon informed her that the abuse had been "going on for a while." The statement reads in part, Ms. In a written statement, Flynn stated that he did not recall personally reviewing the results or being made aware of concerns regarding the quality of coaching or abusive coaching tactics. Wahlke also showed USWNT General Manager Kate Markgraf-who was involved in hiring the USWNT coach and who told the Joint Investigative Team that Riley was never seriously considered-a document containing some of the allegations that had been made against Riley in 2015. Alyse LaHue (@alahue) September 23, 2019 So as much as LaHue has enjoyed coming into Manhattan for the AdWeek panel and then hanging around to talk about the upcoming game (and maybe. It contributed to the perception among the general public, players, club staff, and owners alike that Riley's departure from the Thorns was voluntary or performance-related, rather than due to his misconduct. . The Joint Investigative Team understands that the staff member did not remain with the club after members of the NWSL office shared with the club that the coach was known in the soccer community to be abusive. The NWSL should ensure that this antiharassment training is mandatory for all club staff and players and required annually. Hammond told the Joint Investigative Team that he remembered a call with Kurtz about her interest in a trade after the 2019 season, when Kurtz was in the process of negotiating a new contract. Simon said she moved away from Holly when he touched her and told him he was "insane." U.S. Soccer, the League, and individual clubs were not clear on which entity held the ultimate responsibility for establishing and enforcing policies and practices relating to misconduct, or thoroughly investigating complaints and allegations of misconduct. To the player, the undertone of the response-and of the owner's consistent approach to such requests over the years-was clear: "Why are you not grateful for what I'm providing? The player recalled thinking, I can be grateful and still ask for progress." In describing that meeting, Estes said that "the ultimate corroboration came from Christy Holly." A lack of clarity in the roles played by the NWSL and clubs in receiving and responding to complaints of misconduct has contributed to confusion about reporting channels. Simon described Pearce Rampone as a close friend, and Simon said both Pearce Rampone and Holly were mentors to her "in soccer." When Farid Benstiti was hired by OL Reign, he was explicitly instructed not to discuss weight or nutrition with players. Days later, the assistant coaches told her that they had never complained about her attitude. Second, the Joint Investigative Team found no support for the Thorns's independent assertion that the 2015 investigation did not reveal any "unlawful harassment by Riley, an assertion which seemed to have emerged just after the 2015 Thorns Investigation. Other players similarly reported that they feared retaliation from Burke, or otherwise held back from criticizing Burke, due to incidents in which Burke threatened to waive players who disagreed with him and due to the fact that he had unilateral control over player contracts. 2. Clarkson asked a staff member to request security footage from the hotel, but the staff member was not able to obtain the footage. North Carolina Courage defender Kaleigh Kurtz previously spoke publicly about Riley's body-shaming of her, and how the disgraced coach told her she had to lose 14 pounds in 10 days if she expected to start the next game. A player recalled this same coach making comments about what players "had on their plates" and "food-shaming" players. She felt that he had been grooming her and identified his conduct as abusive. beers, shots, whatever. This same player said that Riley would be at the bar "from the time" the players arrived until after players left. Hendrix also said that Holly both texted Simon and told her in person that she had too many clothes on and he could not see her nipples. The Yates report made note of teams and individuals who did not cooperate, including the Portland Thorns, Chicago Red Stars, and Racing Louisville FC. Her resignation followed screenshots posted on Twitter by Alex Morgan, a member of the USWNT and former Thorns player, which showed Baird had denied an April 2021 request from Sinead Farrelly to reopen the investigation into Riley. . 11 A majority of interviewees believed that Clarkson's mood could be unpredictablethat he could be hot or cold, or they would not know what to expect in terms of his attitude on any given day. Clarkson put her in as a substitute, and she soon began struggling with pain. Using language drafted in part by Levine, Baird exchanged a few emails with Shim, and during one such exchange, Shim emphasized that given the League's inaction" in response to her 2015 complaint, she was concerned for current players; she requested confirmation that "these issues will be investigated and that appropriate corrective action will be taken to ensure that abusers are not permitted to coach in the NWSL." What follows is a high-level summary of the Joint Investigative Team's findings related to these key individuals and entities. When Baird asked Levine if they should meet with Farrelly, Levine replied that they should email Farrelly first. After experiencing weight-shaming by Pauw and Riley, witnesses reported that players developed eating disorders and sought mental health treatment. According to Wilkinson, he told Lines that U.S. Soccer had the investigative report regarding Riley. By the time U.S. Soccer's investigator contacted the complainant to interview her, the Red Stars had already traded her. 5. These updates were provided under a common interest agreement, which restricted Levine's ability to share what she learned in those conversations. While the player surveys asked players to rate the knowledge and skill set of certain club staff, including coaching staff, the surveys did not ask specific questions about any misconduct the players experienced or observed. Players told the Joint Investigative Team that the assistant coach was away from the team for a few days, before returning without any warning to them. We must make the necessary changes based on the unprofessionalism and carelessness in the past in order to pave [the way for] a more mature and harmless future.. Rutgers has been a great partner to us . b) However, Plush observed, Looking back, it is clear to me that no matter how many conversations I had with [the Flash] . Discussing the National Women's Soccer League and all things women's soccer in the US Players credibly reported to the Joint Investigative Team that Dames was "emotionally manipulative" and would use information about their personal lives against them. One owner said, "I came on as a passive investor. In the suite, he began touching her under her shirt and under her pants, and told her that for every pass she fucked up," he was going to touch her. Sports article mentioned Benstiti by name, stating that the club's technical staff, led by Benstiti, didn't care about communicating fitness goals respectfully." Player-staff relationships, even when consensual, can create problems within a team environment and, in some instances, contribute to the mistreatment of players. Despite this purpose, neither the summary nor the conclusion of the investigative report provided a determination as to whether Dames's conduct was acceptable. According to Starr, Simon "begged her" not to say anything to anyone. Clarkson admitted speaking to players about drinking and professionalism, and although he understood that the players may have felt attacked, he denied "attacking" anyone. * Her dismissal was based on the results of an NWSL investigation into a . NEWARK, NJ - After years of bad press, Phil Murphy's Sky Blue soccer team was. Wilkins similarly recalled O'Connor or Estes stating that Holly had a potentially inappropriate relationship with a player. And we have to do something about it." In deciding whom to name, the Joint Investigative Team considered both the need for public accountability as well as the potential impact on player confidentiality. The non To keep costs under control, U.S. Soccer would provide funding for the League front office, pay the salaries of USWNT players, and pursuant to the Management Agreement, administer management, governance, operational, administrative and advisory services. Under the Management Agreement, the League was subject to U.S. Soccer's decision-making in operational areas such as sponsorships and marketing, operations, player affairs, communications, and legal. The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy tasks the NWSL with investigating all complaints of misconduct. During this meeting, Starr shared Simon's name. Whisler signed this non-disparagement clause notwithstanding the commissioning of the NWSL and NWSLPA Joint Investigation the month prior by the NWSL Board of Governors, of which Whisler was a member at the time. One player recalled that O'Connor announced there were allegations made against Holly, an investigation was conducted, and there was an "overwhelming amount of evidence to prove the allegations were correct." He also reportedly told a male player on an opposing Major League Soccer team that Hansen could lynch the player, supposedly in an effort to ask the player to play for Hansen's team. Simon recalled being scared and noted that Holly lived in her apartment building, so she wanted to know how the club could keep her safe and make sure Holly did not come to her apartment after he was fired. As noted above, Riley called Mana Shim "hot" and "sexy." When one Spirit player tackled a teammate during practice, Burke went off out of nowhere," calling the player a "fucking asshole" and a cheat." Pauw appeared to want to control and micromanage players' diets and exercise regimens even when her weight loss [The owner's] people [got] to stay, no ifs ands or buts about it-there [were] no consequences for [his] people." The League and Clubs Failed to Take Adequate Steps to Protect Players in Hiring and Filling Positions Players credibly reported that Harrington drank with players at bars, and two players reported that on one occasion, after drinking to apparent intoxication, Harrington, accompanied by another player and two staff members, attempted to enter two players' hotel room. As one player described, Riley made it seem like "he had a direct line" to the USWNT head coach, and so as a player "you were willing to do everything he said to get you there." This is inconsistent with the final USSF Dames Report issued in September 2019, which stated that Dames was still "unpredictable," and that he was continuing to target specific players "for constant criticism" and yelling excessively. Malik published an open letter on October 6, 2021, stating that when the Courage bought the Flash, the Courage was made aware of a 2015 investigation into Riley but was "subsequently assured he was in good standing. Paulson also published an open letter on October 4, 2021, stating that once the Thorns received Shim's 2015 complaint, the club placed Riley on immediate suspension, conducted an investigation that led to Riley's termination, and shared investigative findings with the NWSL. The Joint Investigative Team heard different accounts regarding exactly what information was shared with players at this meeting. Players recalled coaches monitoring the snacks and meals that players ate, forbidding players from eating things like fruit, peanut butter pretzels, and baked chips, and hiding food from players to prevent them from eating, even when the food was provided by the team.
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