However, looking back, this player observed, "People realized, 'There are different ways to do this. Similarly, other players reported that Dames texted certain players "all the time," including late at night. The N.W.S.L. and Players' Union Report on Women's Soccer While recent efforts have been made to streamline the reporting and investigation procedures, the NWSL could take additional steps to further streamline and improve these procedures and communicate them more clearly to all players, club staff, and NWSL staff. To address these concerns, the League has recently taken steps to create more effective reporting channels, including by setting up an anonymous hotline and listing reporting channels in the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy. The Dash blamed coronavirus protocols, and Clarkson did not ask security to look into it. During the 2014 season, Riley belittled Shim, calling her names, commenting on her weight, and making unusual remarks, such as telling her in front of others that he would like to "squish her" against a wall. Many players bravely recounted painful and personal experiences before and during this investigation in service of truth, accountability, and reform. Indeed, the report notes at the outset: "Misconduct in the League is not wholly independent from abuse that begins in youth soccer, where many coaches' and players' formative experiences shaped the way they engaged in, or reacted to, misconduct and abuse in the NWSL. The Joint Investigative Team identified and examined facts relevant to potential abuse or misconduct against players by those in positions of power in the NWSL and its member clubs. 68, Coaches can also engage in verbal misconduct when they target players for personal attributes or immutable characteristics, such as their appearance, parental status, medical condition, or socioeconomic and educational background. In multiple instances, coaches and staff accused of misconduct were able to find employment at other clubs despite losing their previous employment due to misconduct. 100, other inappropriate sexual conduct at Shim, including attempting to be alone with Shim, and opening his hotel room door in his underwear and asking Shim to get on his bed. One veteran player, recounting her years of experience in the NWSL, explained, You didn't have HR in place or anyone running the show [at the NWSL] there was no structure in place, there was nothing that said what the line was or when lines were crossed, or if something happened, where you would go to report things." She also said she was "petrified" that Wilkinson would trade her from the Thorns because Riley had portrayed himself and Wilkinson as good friends. One witness expressed disbelief after Predmore told him that he did not know about Benstiti's treatment of Horan: "I was like, are you living under a rock?" After Benstiti's hiring, Predmore instructed Benstiti not to discuss player weight or nutrition" with players, and "specifically forbade him from talking about "anything related to food." Some players reported the interactions made them uncomfortable, but they felt like they had to tolerate the behavior because they were concerned they would face retaliation, including loss of playing time or being cut from their team, if they raised any concerns. For at least one player, the limited size and resources of the League contributed to an impression that clubs were solely or primarily responsible for handling investigations. b) Club Policies Inconsistently Addressed Romantic Relationships The NWSL's Non-Fraternization Policy states, "No person in management or a supervisory position with a Team or the League shall have a romantic or dating relationship with a League or team employee whom he or she directly supervises or whose terms and conditions of employment he or she may influence (for example, roster decisions, promotion, termination, discipline, and compensation). Most clubs do not address romantic relationships between club staff, or between club staff and players, in their employee handbooks. Levine claimed that their failure to do so "contributed to [Riley's] remaining in the League until Farrelly and Shim went public in September 2021. 3. It was not until August 2021 that the league implemented a process requiring clubs to submit head coaching candidates to the league for vetting and approval. She later described feeling "powerless" and "scared to say no." Yet, in responding to document requests from the Joint Investigative Team, the Thorns asserted the report was protected by attorney-client privilege and claimed they had shared it with U.S. Soccer in 2015 pursuant to a common interest agreement under which neither the NWSL nor U.S. Soccer would be permitted to share the report. Conduct Background Checks on All Prospective Club Owners, Staff, and Volunteers Who May Interact With Players Red Stars General Manager Steps Down - Hot Time In Old Town e) Fear of Retaliation There is no evidence that any additional investigative steps were taken between September 2019 and Wahlke's departure from U.S. Soccer the following year. Players reported Williams apologized to the team the day after the meeting, but players felt the club did not take action to address players' concerns after the meeting. While Whisler acknowledged receiving each of these complaints, he said he felt there was no "pattern" of complaints and wished he had received more information in order to take action earlier. The subjective experience is important to consider when assessing whether conduct rises to the level of emotional misconduct. The club immediately terminated the staff member for violating club policy. Ensure the Channels for Reporting Misconduct Are Responsive to the Needs of Players and Staff of Color and LGBTQIA+ Players and Staff During a break for West Ham in the summer of 2019, Simon returned home to New Jersey, where Holly lived about 20 minutes from her home. Multiple players said that they felt they could not decline social invitations from coaches. Ex-Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley fired from NWSL team amid allegations of sexual misconduct, Joanna Lohman was fooled by Paul Riley in Philadelphia, where he allegedly coerced her teammates, Megan Rapinoe criticizes Paul Riley, who briefly coached her on the Philadelphia Independence, Equalizer Soccer reported the anti-harassment detail, U.S. Soccer promises action after Yates investigation details abuse and sexual coercion in NWSL, California residents do not sell my data request. Beyond the Bottom Line is a podcast created by the Program on Entrepreneurship at the Yale School of Management, where we're educating founders for business and society. 1. Following this discussion, Kurtz recalled having a telephone call with Hammond to discuss her request. On October 14, 2021, the club announced that Baldwin, along with owner Bill Lynch, would sell their shares in the club to Kang. This misconduct did not occur in a vacuum. The statement also claimed that investigators provided Ms. LaHue a few documents that contained alterations. In addition to the SafeSport Trained Core Course and three annual refresher courses, medical staff are required to take a 60-minute course titled, "SafeSport for Health Professionals: Your Role in Preventing Abuse." Farrelly later recalled that she did not feel she was treated by Garcia as someone who had been targeted by Riley on the night of the kiss. Riley invited her to share details about her romantic life, and in the following weeks and months, persistently asked her about her love life and how her relationship was going. It also appears Shim's and Farrelly's interviews were not conducted in a trauma-informed manner. He became condescending toward her and made jokes about "ripping [her] contract up." Neither Cromwell nor Greene took any steps to convey to players that they did not need to apologize for participating in an investigation. The Joint Investigative Team made substantial efforts to contact individuals who might have information relevant to past and present misconduct in the NWSL, and did not refuse any witness's request to speak with the Joint Investigative Team during this investigation. That's the problem with this league. While the NWSL and clubs have worked to strengthen their HR resources, many players continue to gravitate towards the NWSLPA as the safest reporting mechanism: even veteran players on the USWNT told the Joint Investigative Team that they would default to bringing their concerns through the NWSLPA. Train NWSL and Club Staff in Complaint Handling and TraumaInformed Investigation Best Practices If the NWSL determines that information revealed as part of a reference check is a barrier to that applicant's hire, the NWSL should maintain that information should the applicant be considered for positions at other clubs in the future. Cromwell also sought to waive or trade other such players. Remind Players, Staff, and Volunteers of Reporting Channels Available to Report Misconduct The Joint Investigative Team further found that Goalkeeper Coach Aline Reis did not fully cooperate with the investigation, in violation of NWSL policy, including by pressuring players to share favorable information with investigators. Please sign in below. 40, longest-tenured coach in the League. An attorney retained by the Thorns following the report by Shim did not conduct any interviews or otherwise play an active role in the investigation. Simon said that in 2019, she received an invitation to a U-23 national team camp. Require Certification of the Completion of Mandatory Trainings and Closely Track Compliance 3. 4. While the report singles out individuals and clubs for alleged misconduct or mishandling of situations, investigators chose to make recommendations that are "forward-looking, systemic in nature; rather than recommending discipline as to specific individuals or entities." Gulati recalled this email and stated, "I don't know what else we can do when [Whisler] doesn't accept the coach's resignation." He said he shared with Johnson that Kurtz mentioned Riley calling her chubby, and understood that Johnson would talk to Riley about his choice of words. The player was traded shortly thereafter. Since the Joint Investigative Team began its work, the NWSL has increased efforts to eradicate misconduct, embraced greater accountability, and experienced a cultural shift regarding behaviors that are no longer tolerated. The statement said LaHue has remained in conversation with investigators. On other occasions, Riley texted Kurtz about being at bars. III. 8. Two prior leagues have." In response to the August 11, 2021 Washington Post article stating that Burke verbally and emotionally abused players, Levine told others at the NWSL that the League had not received any complaints about Burke, despite a This may include engaging with the NWSLPA or third-party experts regarding reforms, including the measures the Joint Investigative Team recommends below, to ensure that they are implemented in a way that meets players' needs. Many players told the Joint Investigative Team that they defaulted to viewing the NWSLPA as the most trustworthy channel to receive and respond to player complaints. Players also told Novo that Holly was in a romantic relationship with another player, Christie Pearce Rampone. soccer career. While it appears Gotham and the NWSL handled the complaint made regarding LaHue in a timely and appropriate manner once it was reported, there must be steps taken to prevent misconduct from occurring in the first place, and ensure that players feel comfortable reporting it if and when it does occur. . Former NY/NJ Gotham FC general manager Alyse. Malik told the Joint Investigative Team that he thought at the time that Riley's drinking with players in 2015 was unacceptable" for a coach of the USWNT 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." Numerous individuals reported that Cromwell and Greene stopped speaking to players who they believed had supported the allegations under investigation and who did not apologize to Cromwell and Greene for their participation in the March 2022 investigation. Markgraf also told the Joint Investigative Team that a player subsequently warned Markgraf not to hire Riley and left Markgraf with the impression that Riley was a "bad guy. Black Women's Player Collective representatives told the Joint Investigative Team that they experienced racial microaggressions on their teams. LaHue denies the allegations made against her and will make no further comment.. According to players, Riley made unrealistic and seemingly arbitrary demands for player weight loss. Sky Blue FC's game at Red Bull was a success, but only the first step The report found that Riley had (i) violated instructions by Wilkinson not to socialize with players "when alcohol was involved; (ii) engaged in inappropriate and unprofessional behavior and exercised poor judgment by sending inappropriate text messages, not establishing and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, inviting players to his apartment, serving alcohol to players, dancing with a player and touching her while doing so, inviting a player to his hotel room, having one-on-one dinners (and involving alcohol), having one-on-one game film sessions in his apartment, and failing to notify his supervisor of the July 5 email; and (iii) likely violated his employment contract by doing so.