I. Other club policies did not address supervisor or manager obligations to elevate complaints to anyone. On at least one occasion, he mandated that a player "weigh in" on a daily basis and told her that she would not see the field until she hit a certain weight. In May 2018, U.S. Soccer's investigator spoke to Press regarding her complaint that Dames "verbally and emotionally abuse[d] . Prior to the event, he forwarded Shim an email containing his hotel reservation-one room with a king bed-and asked Shim to stay with him. At the U.S. national team level she totaled 132 caps and 30 goals, won an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and 2012, a World Cup title in 2015, and a CONCACAF Women's Championship in 2014. Alyse LaHue was appointed as General Manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in April 2019 (then known as Sky Blue FC) and has been leading the club's dramatic turnaround since. NWSL joint investigation reveals details on Alyse LaHue's departure Holly sent Simon a picture of his penis over WhatsApp. The Spirit suspended Burke pending an investigation initiated shortly after the Washington Post article was published, and the club fired him on September 28, 2021, following the completion of that investigation. The NDA between Holly and Racing Louisville caused various problems, including for investigators trying to obtain evidence. Shim told the Joint Investigative Team she cried when Riley joined the Flash; she said she never wanted to see Riley again, and she was concerned for other players. Gotham FC in a spotlight New subjects include details on why former Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue was fired in July of last year. face allegations of misconduct. Holly stepped down as coach of Sky Blue during the 2017 season, and Simon was waived by Sky Blue in 2018. In particular, the Joint Investigative Team did not receive a copy of Dames's separation agreement from the Red Stars until the end of this investigation, after the publication of the USSF Report. Players reported concerns about staff members drinking alcohol excessively with players. Players reported that Riley often inquired about and commented on players' romantic and dating relationships. Though Levine cautioned Whisler against retaliation, Levine confirmed to Whisler the identity of the complaining player. When one player asked Williams during a game how the team should adjust their positioning after a player was removed from the game due to a red card, Williams screamed, "Are you fucking serious? Gulati said he could not recall the details regarding the Flash's consideration of Riley but told the Joint III. Paulson acknowledged in the letter that the club had made an "opaque" public announcement regarding Riley's termination, and he outlined new and ongoing initiatives for improvement. No further information was made public until October 2022. Players at the Dash reported that they had heard that the club had hired an HR representative in 2021, but that players did not have much contact with her. The History and Culture of the League and its Member Clubs Discouraged Reporting of Potential Misconduct Levine had previously instructed the HR employee to monitor the email account and to elevate any complaints so that Levine could then determine next steps and manage any subsequent investigations. However, Plush observed, Looking back, it is clear to me that no matter how many conversations I had with [the Flash] . In March 2021, a group of 240 NWSL players signed a letter to Commissioner Lisa Baird urging the NWSL to adopt an anti-harassment policy. . I. In a publicly reported incident, the Orlando Pride supporters group displayed a banner during a game in protest of the Florida "Don't Say Gay" bill, and the club had the banner removed. 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. Clarkson denied These threats, or even the perceived risk of waiver for raising concerns or expressing disagreement with clubs and coaches, signaled to players that they were dispensable. Former U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati observed that it was a challenge every year to get the owners to come back for another year and lose money. In text messages to Dames, Whisler spoke negatively of Press and expressed suspicion about players' motives for raising concerns. The NWSL should consider whether players and staff would benefit from the League establishing guidelines on appropriate socializing between players and individuals with supervisory authority over players, including head coaches. Development of an Anti-Harassment Policy. According to an external review conducted by the Red Stars in 2021, players described Dames "as 'condescending', manipulative', 'aggressive', 'insulting', [and] an intimidator."" As a result, players reported multiple instances in which they did not report concerns or misconduct. On the basis of that legal advice, and despite his stated concerns, Plush did not facilitate further conversations, seek additional advice when the advice he received was inconsistent with the stated purpose of the Thorns's disclosure, or raise his concerns with the Board of Governors. During that time, Lines spoke with Wilkinson, Lines's former teammate on the Portland Timbers and the New Zealand national team, regarding Riley and his suitability for the head coach role. However, Gulati told the Joint Investigative Team that he did not tell Dorrance anything about the 2015 allegations or investigation of Riley. The Yates report made note of teams and individuals who did not cooperate, including the Portland Thorns, Chicago Red Stars, and Racing Louisville FC. Co-Founder of Gonzo Soccer: Girls Soccer & Leadership Academy for under-served girls, a 501 (c)3 organization in the U.S., Mexico, and Colombia. c) Failure to Protect Players Simon said she thought the film sessions were in preparation for playing at Racing Louisville. A. At the time, Levine told U.S. Soccer and NWSL leadership that she would send letters to Riley and to Joe Sahlen warning that coaches must remain professional and reminding Sahlen to report any inappropriate conduct by staff to the NWSL. 71, their faces, and gesturing in a threatening manner in their faces. As the report summarizes, LaHues alleged misconduct included sending the player inappropriate text messages that continued even after the player told LaHue to accept that they were working together and nothing more. LaHue expressed an emotional reliance on the player, repeatedly questioned the players interactions with another individual, and pressed the player for more attention.. In 2017 and 2019, the NWSL hired a law firm to conduct an inperson anti-harassment training for all players and a separate anti-harassment training for all club staff, though according to former NWSL General Counsel Lisa Levine, one club declined to participate in 2019. On the evening of the announcement of LaHue's firing from Gotham, a statement was provided by Kelly Hoffman, attorney for Alyse LaHue via Meg Linehan of The Athletic on Twitter reading: "Ms. LaHue denies the allegations made against her and will make no further comment." No further information was made public until October 2022. Alyse LaHue, General Manager of the NJ/NY Gotham FC Women's Football Team Lisa Ferkul, Director of Hockey Sponsorship at Scotiabank Andrew Sutherland, Vice President of Marketing, Creative and Original Content at Sportsnet What were the takeaways? In addition, players provided specific examples of Dames commenting on players' personal appearances, making racially insensitive comments, and controlling players. According to one player, Holly sometimes sent another player heart eyes" emojis through Instagram. Neither the Flash nor the Courage-the NWSL clubs that employed Riley after he was terminated from the Thorns-received a copy of the Thorns's 2015 investigative report detailing Riley's misconduct. .82 She also did not share the findings or conclusion from the investigation with players. Following the conclusion of the USSF Investigation, the Joint Investigative Team reviewed the Report of the Independent Investigation to the U.S. Soccer Federation Concerning Allegations of Abusive Behavior and Sexual Misconduct in Women's Professional Soccer (the "USSF Report"). Shim attached to this email her 2015 complaint. A different player explained that "a lot of coaches . 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." One owner said, "I came on as a passive investor. 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. . Representatives appointed by each of the 12 NWSL club owners comprise the League's Board of Governors, which acts on behalf of the League. Riley went on to be named head coach for two other NWSL clubs, the Western New York Flash and the Courage, in 2016 and 2017, respectively. 11, In 2018, the League voluntarily recognized the NWSLPA as the exclusive bargaining representative for all players who signed a standard player agreementin other words, all players except players allocated to the League by the USWNT. Club ownership noted that the individual had "cleared" his background check and that they had planned to hire him, but that they ultimately chose not to hire him after the NWSL advised against it. Having opportunities to hang with others or time for self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship. While coaches and staff may appropriately discuss professional players' fitness in the context of players' performance, coaches often made comments that did not address performance, but rather were focused on appearance or other arbitrary criteria. Sign in to your account. coach, and Alyse LaHue, the former general manager of Gotham F.C., each received two-year suspensions from the league. Kurtz recalled speaking to Riley in late 2020 to again tell him she wanted to leave the club. For example, the Courage re-signed Jaelene Daniels in 2021, after her brief retirement. Several players interviewed reported that Clarkson targeted one or two players each year for excessive and unjustified criticism, and that Clarkson's conduct towards these players was outside the bounds of appropriate coaching. The Flash were not fully informed of the allegations or investigative findings against Riley, and they received a favorable assessment of Riley from Wilkinson. The Joint Investigative Team also received credible reports of sexual misconduct by former Racing Louisville Head Coach Christy Holly, targeting player Erin Simon. While Simon's parents gave Pearce Rampone a tour of the home, Holly grabbed Simon's buttocks and felt her over her leggings. One player recalled her club expressing "over and over" in response to players' requests for improved conditions and more resources, "This is how it is. The article further reported that in 2021, Shim and Farrelly asked the NWSL to reopen the investigation into Riley, but that then-Commissioner Lisa Baird declined to investigate further. 7. the Joint Investigative Team sent each club a document collection questionnaire to gather information about its organization, structure, and mechanisms for reporting complaints. The supporters group claimed that the banner was removed because it was a political statement. The public revelation of Riley's misconduct and the systemic issues it exposed prompted outcry and action. Red Stars co-owner and ESPN personality Sarah Spain and Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue were both reportedly fined Wednesday for tweeting about the investigation. Individuals at the Courage learned of a prior investigation into Riley while at the Thorns and attempted to learn more, but neither the Thorns nor the NWSL provided them with the 2015 investigative report, and the Courage were given sparse and incomplete descriptions of Shim's allegations and the investigative findings against Riley. "Some types of misconduct against players, including certain instances of sexual abuse and manipulation, have already been widely reported. Enhance Reporting and Investigation Procedures. On another occasion, after the detention of WNBA player Brittney Griner and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Clarkson approved conveying to a player's agent a contract offer from a Russian club, without acknowledging or showing sensitivity to the risks that would accompany playing in Russia. The separation agreement included mutual non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions, and a mutual release of claims. Misconduct on any level cannot be tolerated, and clear reporting lines along with proper vetting must be enshrined in NWSL policies. Another player explained, "We are still in a growing league, and that's not lost on players." She said, "I was made to feel by U.S. Soccer that I was in the wrong, there was nothing to report, and that this was acceptable." 10, that worsened its financial troubles. The player said she and the others felt like "[they were] never going to play again." 114 It should also provide examples of the types of personal attacks or degradation of players that are prohibited by the Anti-Harassment Policy. Riley-who is around 15 years older than Farrelly-began lowering professional boundaries with Farrelly during that time, including by focusing his attention on her during nights out drinking with the team, asking probing personal questions, and telling her she was "beautiful." When the club held a call with players and staff to share the results of the investigation, however, the message left players and staff with the incorrect understanding that none of the reports against Cromwell and Greene were substantiated, that no remedial actions were taken to address their behavior, and that the club was standing by the coaches. Two weeks later, an NWSL employee raised a concern she had heard from U.S. Soccer employees that the potential hire was "worse than Rory Dames in terms of belittling players" in youth soccer. In a recent interview with The Inquirer, LaHue made it clear that the team intends to leave Yurcak at the end of this season. The latest report also focuses on racism and microaggressions in a way that the Yates report did not. It defines harassment as "unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical or visual, that is based upon a person's race or any other protected status." Wilkinson informed the Joint Investigative Team that he did not recall staff raising concerns about misconduct by Riley. . Gotham fired her on July 9, 2021, and said in a statement seven days later that the dismissal was based on the results of a league investigation into a complaint of a violation of league policy.. On July 2, 2021, OL Reign announced, Farid Benstiti has resigned his position as head coach of the club with immediate effect. One player told the Joint Investigative Team that they felt Benstiti should have been fired and there should have been a private apology from the club to the players and a commitment to do right by the players. The Current's employee handbook states that employees "should not be employed in positions with supervisory responsibilities over the work of any family member or other person with whom the employee has a romantic or similarly close relationship," but it does not clarify if this applies only to relationships between club employees, or whether it also applies to relationships between club employees and players, who are NWSL employees. Cromwell told club leadership in reference to these players that the negative players suck the life out of this team," and that they were miserable people" and "bullies." . The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy prohibits a range of misconduct. First, the Joint Investigative Team found that the 2015 Thorns Investigation was inadequate in key ways. This misconduct did not occur in a vacuum. The clause prevented Dames from making any negative, critical, or disparaging remarks about Whisler or the Red Stars, but did not restrict Dames's remarks about players. This incident was corroborated by both players and staff members. Likewise, a current general manager expressed that background checks "only catch[] so much" and explained that for this reason, her club also relied on input from players when hiring. Additionally, 15 current and former NWSL staff members engaged in interviews or provided documents, as did 11 current and former U.S. Soccer staffers. Other Inconsistencies Between the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy and Club Policies 8. . You moron.' How a trailblazing female general manager transformed the worst Third, Dames made personal insults, and the summary stated, these comments in a professional environment are concerning." 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. The Joint Investigative Team found no support for this conclusion, and the Thorns continue to assert attorney-client privilege over the advice they claim they received on this point. The report makes a number of suggestions on guidelines that can create this stability moving forward for the league. 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 And as discussed above, in some cases, Riley's practice of holding meetings in hotel rooms did in fact lead to boundary-crossing interactions with Shim. They were also informed that players had come to Riley's apartment after drinking at a nearby bar and that an allegation was made that Riley had suggested two players kiss. The subjective experience is important to consider when assessing whether conduct rises to the level of emotional misconduct. 3. 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. Simon trained with Holly and Pearce Rampone during this time. 123, F. The policy contains a broad prohibition on harassment, discrimination, bullying, and retaliation, and explicitly applies to "any and all" forms of each type of misconduct. 1. Players reported to the Joint Investigative Team multiple instances in which club staff, coaches, or club leadership retaliated against players for reporting misconduct or for participating in an investigation into misconduct. Simon described Pearce Rampone as a close friend, and Simon said both Pearce Rampone and Holly were mentors to her "in soccer." However, there is substantial work to be done. When appropriate, the Joint Investigative Team interviewed individuals more than once. If you live with your partner (s) or friend (s), set up designated areas within your place where you can spend time alone. Burke also reportedly described one player as a "moron" in front of others on the team. At the same time, the Thorns claimed legal privilege over the very information that would be responsive to such inquiries, creating barriers for the NWSL and U.S. Soccer to disclose what the investigation revealed about Riley's misconduct. Players reported that the relationship between Williams and the owners made players feel that any complaints raised to ownership would get back to Williams. She still is not making the kind of money she might command in the corporate world, but LaHue is fairly certain she is having more fun. 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. Players were aware not only of the NWSL's uncertain future, but also of the precariousness of their own individual futures within the NWSL. The new report claimed it studied all reports of inappropriate conduct toward players in the league since its launch in 2012, reviewing over 200,000 documents and conducting over 200 interviews. Whisler said he then proceeded with the trade based on "soccer reason[s]" after consulting with the League. Hope for 'new' NWSL after former coaches banned after misconduct 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. The USWNT has won medalsincluding four gold medalsin every Olympic Games except one since women's soccer was added as an event in 1996. Several players reported that following this meeting, Williams began to treat certain players negatively. Although Novo said he shared these concerns with others at the club, key decision-makers within the club did not recall Novo telling them about Holly's mistreatment of players. Weight-Shaming Comments and Pressure NWSL commissioner resigns amid bombshell abuse allegations - New York Post Although Plush asserted that he tried to dissuade the Flash from pursuing Riley, he did not give the Flash any information about why they should not pursue Riley. As one player observed, the practice of drinking together erased the sense of boundaries between "players, coaches, and general manager[s]." 40, longest-tenured coach in the League. Burke generally denied being verbally abusive, but acknowledged repeated examples of using demeaning and belittling language. He is quoted in the report as saying, [S]ome number of players each year wither under [Dames's] approach, don't respond well, and need to leave for their own good." The NWSLPA also established a 24-hour anonymous reporting system through which players could report abuse, and invited reports directly to the NWSLPA, the Joint Investigative Team, or to the NWSLPA's counsel at Weil. Strengthen Anti-Harassment Policies Why not adjust? During the 2017 season, Simon recalled players learning that Holly had been dating another player, Christie Pearce Rampone. These failures placed players at risk and deepened players' distrust that reports of misconduct would be handled appropriately. The two most senior executives in the League's front office, Commissioner Lisa Baird and General Counsel Lisa Levine, resigned. There is more history." Not resign."" Pauw appeared to want to control and micromanage players' diets and exercise regimens even when her weight loss (Paulson has since deleted these tweets.) Hendrix also recalled that Holly sent Simon a picture of his penis. Some players recalled the head coach telling the team that they would not go to the Challenge Cup without the assistant coach. Craig Harrington, the former Utah Royals F.C. Levine's explanation for her response to these emails was that she was focused on language in the emails regarding how the NWSL would respond to Shim's initial 2015 complaint-despite indicia in the emails that Shim and Farrelly were dissatisfied with the NWSL's response to Shim's 2015 complaint and despite Farrelly having provided additional pertinent information in her email. Over time, she felt that Dames was learning details of her personal life" from these players and felt the need to "distance herself" from them. 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. In addition, the policy sets forth a general process for conducting investigations into potential violations and reporting the findings of such investigations. This includes harassment; sexual harassment; discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local laws; bullying; sexual misconduct, including the use of coercion, force, intimidation, or certain power imbalances; emotional misconduct; physical misconduct; and retaliation. He told the Joint Investigative Team, "We're all adults. Simon said she told Holly that now that he was her boss, he would have to stop the inappropriate behavior, and he replied that he had until January 1, because that was when her contract started. There may be limited circumstances in which it is appropriate for a coach to discuss a player's weight with her as it pertains to that player's fitness goals, but those discussions generally should occur privately, without other players present. The training for players should address appropriate communication between coaches and players, including soccer-specific constructive criticism, and should provide examples of conduct or scenarios that professional players could potentially encounter. In May or June 2020, shortly after the murder of George Floyd, Burke made a comment-when players were kneeling for a photo to show solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement-about how it would look if someone took a photo while he knelt on a practice dummy and "flipped off" the camera. The Joint Investigative Team promptly conducted a thorough investigation and, based on the evidence, found that Wilkinson did not engage in wrongdoing or violate the Anti-Harassment Policy. While the club discussed with Simon the possibility of a severance agreement, there is no evidence that the club sought Simon's input on these terms. Morgan and NWSLPA President Tori Huster also spoke on the phone with Baird and Levine about the issue. Inconsistencies Between Club Anti-Harassment Policies and the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy 39, good, making sexist, racist, abusive, and other prejudicial remarks to players. He stated that the club sought to address Simon's concerns through the severance agreement, including by securing Holly's removal from his apartment in a complex shared by Simon and requiring that Holly not disparage players or the club. Require Certification of the Completion of Mandatory Trainings and Closely Track Compliance Among the suggested actions is involving players in hiring processes more formally and establishing information sharing among clubs. This is especially important in situations where club staff with control over player transactions (coaches, general managers, etc.) 21, not done with other deleted emails. 89, Racing Louisville's management said that when the club notified the League that it finished its investigation into former Head Coach Christy Holly, Baird told the club to pause so the League could investigate. Instead, the report concluded: "The only result that is clearly called for by this external review is the establishment of standards for conduct by NWSL coaches and education on those standards, to resolve any uncertainty going forward." Given the scope of the Joint Investigative Team's work, the Team considered it appropriate to evaluate historical misconduct under the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, which reflects the NWSL's current approach to these issues. g) Consequences of Inaction 18.2k members in the NWSL community. At the same time, certain behaviors that have been normalized as "tough" coaching, such as screaming in players' faces, are slowly but increasingly recognized as inappropriate and abusive.
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