The Thorns's outside counsel told U.S. The league will work with the players association to ensure that the results of these team and league reviews will serve as a road map to ensure safe environments for players and staff." 4. At first, she thought the offers were "nice" because she did not "know what the boundaries [were]." @sarahlgorden I'm so sorry for what happened to you & your loved ones. Provide Mandatory Annual Anti-Harassment Training (There have already been consequences since the Yates report, including Merritt Paulson and Arnim Whisler agreeing to sell the Portland Thorns and Chicago Red Stars, respectively.). Players also described a patronizing culture that many saw as inextricably tied to gender bias. 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. It acknowledged that the League had a "need to know," and that an "allegation that a head coach has acted inappropriately toward a player is obviously of concern to the League." Moreover, leadership at the Thorns made comments favorable to Riley, which further served to obfuscate the misconduct. Players raised a variety of other concerns to U.S. Soccer's investigator, in many cases providing specific examples of Dames's behavior that made them uncomfortable. As one staff member explained, there had "always been a high interest and attention" in this player by LaHue. h[ad] meetings in their hotel rooms and held these meetings with [the] door closed." In terms of Dames's unpredictable behavior, one player told the investigator that she "never knew what to expect from Dames" because he was sometimes "jolly and goofing off" but then "would be 'pissed and yelling."" Predmore confirmed that during the 2020 Challenge Cup, he was informed by a staff member that Benstiti made comments to a player about the quantity and type of food the player was eating during a team meal. In one text, he sent her a photo of himself in compression shorts. Additionally, despite the adverse findings, the Thorns asserted in an email to the NWSL that the 2015 Thorns Investigation revealed no "unlawful harassment," a conclusion that was not included in the 2015 investigative report itself and that was not further explained. Over the following weeks, Riley continued to comment on Kurtz's weight. 29, In a written summary prepared for the Joint Investigative Team, the Courage stated that Chief Soccer Officer Curt Johnson and Malik vetted Riley, including by speaking with leadership at the Flash and with some of Riley's players at the Flash, who provided positive feedback. Former NWSL commissioner Jeff Plush responded to the joint investigators after refusing to speak with Yates & Co., though the report indicates that Plush only provided written responses. Pauw acknowledged that at the end of the season, a player had raised concerns to Pauw that Pauw's mistreatment had caused a teammate's eating disorder, but Pauw denied any role and stated that the reporting player should have "tak[en] responsibility as an adult by looking out for her teammate sooner. One player reported that Williams stopped communicating with her, would ignore her when greeting other players, and made efforts to avoid her. She also emphasized that she was focused on getting a balanced" perspective from interviewees; in other Investigators determined that LaHue's interactions with the player constituted misconduct. 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. On October 6, 2021, NWSL teams returned to play for the first time since publication of the Athletic article. In the 2020 survey, a player for the Spirit wrote that Burke was "unprofessional in his communication with certain players, that he play[ed] major psychological games with certain players, and that he used demeaning language." Leadership at the Thorns had knowledge of misconduct by Paul Riley, including his drinking alcohol with players and reported mistreatment of players, even before Mana Shim made a formal complaint in September 2015 of sexual misconduct by Riley. Despite having this information, Duffy did not express any concerns about Riley to the Courage, Riley's employer at the time. Three days after Benstiti's speech, a player formally reported Benstiti's conduct to the League pursuant to the Anti-Harassment Policy. Misconduct within the NWSL-and a failure to adequately investigate allegations of misconduct and take measures to prevent further misconduct-has contributed to players' lack of trust and confidence in U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and its member clubs. However, many players were troubled by the way the Dash handled the situation. Alex Morgan shares her frustration at the NWSL's failure to support Meleana Shim after speaking out against Paul Riley in this behind-the-scenes clip from E60: Truth Be Told, available now on ESPN+. Riley was only one of several NWSL club personnel accused of misconduct in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The club also wrote to the Joint Investigative Team that Johnson and Malik spoke with Plush from the NWSL, with Gulati and Flynn from U.S. Soccer, and with Paulson from the Thorns. Even as individuals at U.S. Soccer came to the conclusion that Riley's conduct made him unsuitable to be a national team coach, no one took any action to remove him from coaching NWSL players. The Joint Investigative Team reported to an Oversight Committee comprised of two representatives selected by the NWSLPA, Meghann Burke (Executive Director, NWSLPA) and Terri Jackson (Executive Director, Women's National Basketball Players Association); two representatives selected by the NWSL, Jessica Berman (Commissioner, NWSL) and Djenaba Parker (General Counsel and Chief People Officer, Goop, Inc., and former General Counsel, New York Red Bulls); and one independent member, former United States District Judge Barbara S. Jones (Partner, Bracewell LLP). Clubs did not consistently prohibit player-staff relationships, which created confusion about whether such relationships were permissible. Even retired players expressed fears that former coaches could affect their careers. While Dames yelled at players on the field, off the field, he developed close relationships that blurred personal and professional boundaries. Limitations and Challenges In his interview with the Joint Investigative Team, Clarkson exhibited a lack of candor. For example, in June 2021, a group of players reached out to O'Connor and asked if they could speak with him. A third player recalled that during trips for away games, the team would "go to the bar together and Riley would "be there buying players . Two other players said they felt that Dames gathered information about their personal and romantic relationships and used the information he learned about their personal lives as a tool for manipulation. At least one player and a volunteer at the club corroborated that Holly treated Simon harshly. Coaching often requires split-second decisions and interactions during practice and games, without the time for deliberation or consultation, for example with HR. "Even after repeated requests and lengthy negotiations, U.S. Soccer did not meaningfully respond to the Joint Investigative Team's requests until shortly before and again after the USSF Report was released. Holly declined requests to be interviewed in this investigation. In 2019, when U.S. Soccer was considering Riley for the role of USWNT head coach, Duffy and Levine worked with NWSL communications staff to prepare a draft public statement related to the complaints against Riley and the investigation into his conduct. 23, Thorns staff worked and players played games. In response to Shim's email, Riley texted Shim asking to meet, and the two corresponded about meeting but ultimately did not meet. Later that month, the NWSL adopted a Non-Fraternization Policy as part of its Operations Manual. One player referred to Riley as verbally abusive. Angie Long did not recall many details of discussions regarding these player transactions. The League's policy should ensure that player privacy is not used as a pretextual basis to justify agreements that undermine player safety and fail to protect the confidentiality of players who are impacted by misconduct. LaHue denies the allegations made against her and will make no further comment.. The Yahoo! In a Tweet late Friday afternoon, the National Women's Soccer League club announced that LaHue had, as of July 9 - a week ago today - was no longer employed by the team. A. The Joint Investigative Team concluded that Cromwell and Greene violated the NWSL's 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy prohibiting retaliation. The Joint Investigative Team also found numerous deficiencies in the 2015 Thorns Investigation and subsequent communications by the Thorns, the NWSL, and U.S. Soccer about Riley's misconduct. Another player on the same club recalled that club leadership gave the players the sense that if their owner was "thrown to the wolves" as a result of a player complaint, the club would cease to exist. 106, that Holly screamed at and verbally abused players. 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. Days later, Shim emailed Baird to ask if the NWSL would take further steps in connection with her 2015 complaint, considering the apparent failure of the NWSL to take any action to protect players" in response to that complaint. Kurtz also said Riley called her fat and told her to lose a significant amount of weight within ten days. In June 2021, Benstiti gave a team speech in which he criticized players' diets, despite being told not to do so, in a manner that multiple players found inappropriate. 121, 6. .85 Riley encouraged her to order a drink, eventually ordering a bottle of wine and food for both of them. Simon had just graduated from college, and after an open tryout, Holly offered Simon her first professional contract to play for Sky Blue, where he was the head coach. Hammond came away from the call with the understanding that Kurtz was uncomfortable with what Riley said, and he did not recall asking follow-up questions about the circumstances or any other concerns about Riley. One player recalled that there were instances where the team could see that a person was "mentally destroyed," and Dames "would just keep digging the knife in." However, according to the report, three players had "provide[d] specific examples" of this behavior. The NWSL should regularly remind club staff of their obligation to elevate information regarding misconduct to the NWSL HR Office or NWSL General Counsel. This is too much. Second, the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy requires each club to designate two individuals to receive reports of potential violations of the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, at least one of whom must be an individual other than the Board of Governors representative and the head coach of the club. Farrelly told the Joint Investigative Team that the announcement "solidified" her decision not to tell her own story, noting the hiring was "extra validation that Shim's allegations did not seem to matter. the ghosts of their former Sky Blue FC selves and all the baggage that came with it, Yazmeen Ryan is at Gotham FC for the long haul, Why Naomi Girma could be the USWNTs most important player at the World Cup, Pride swap white shorts for black as global push continues for player welfare, Waived from Gotham FC, Kelly Ann Livingstone sees opportunity with Fortuna Hjrring, 2023 NWSL schedule released: Actually, theres a lot to like, Sinead Farrelly joins Gotham FC preseason roster as Non-Roster Invitee, Amy Rodriguez traded to North Carolina; Kansas City acquires Mace, Hamilton and Rowland, USWNT wrestling with identity ahead of World Cup, USWNT 2, Brazil 1: On fullback positioning and the double-edge sword of transitions, Several players drop out of French national team ahead of the World Cup, Seriously, a fall-to-spring schedule for the NWSL? Players on another team reported that a former assistant coach liked tweets critical of the Black Lives Matter movement, causing several Black and non-Black players to be uncomfortable and upset with the assistant coach. In a text message to Whisler on June 13, 2018, Dames asked about waiving the player who he suspected had raised the complaint. The Joint Investigative Team also posted these reporting lines on the NWSL webpage and in the League's Anti-Harassment Policy. 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. While the investigation was ongoing, Dames was not suspended and there was no intermediary action to prevent further misconduct that could harm current players on the Red Stars. A. Multiple players and club staff reported that in 2017, while Holly was head coach of Sky Blue, he began dating Pearce Rampone. The Management Agreement executed between the NWSL and U.S. Soccer on December 12, 2012, established U.S. Soccer as the manager of the NWSL. After players spoke to club management about these concerns, management scheduled a joint meeting with both players and coaching staff, including Holly. One player recalled wanting to report conduct by her general manager, Alyse LaHue, but said that the team "didn't even know who we could contact because [the general manager] is our only contact. On an away trip to Portland following the 2019 World Cup, Kurtz received a text message from Riley with a picture of a bar he was at, commenting that Kurtz would like the bar and that he wished she were there. Contrary to the assertion that the allegations were largely unsupported by specific examples," the report's own findings included multiple examples of the ways in which players felt Dames did not maintain professional boundaries. Some within the NWSL held the misconception that SafeSport deals with misconduct against youth athletes and does not investigate misconduct against professional athletes. These aspects of the culture in the NWSL discouraged some players from reporting any concerns. During the 2022 preseason, the Dash traveled to Mexico City for preseason games against the Mexican club Pumas. even if the relationship . I never had the ability to quickly lose weight." Moreover, individual acts of misconduct in the League cannot be addressed without considering the failures in institutional structures, policies, and proceduresat U.S. Soccer, the League, and individual clubs-that have allowed misconduct to persist. The calendar crisis explained. Players recounted that he told one player he would have sex with her. One player recalled a specific comment Dames made about "her attractiveness." These partnerships should provide regular formal opportunities to explore concerns and receive feedback from members of these groups. Third, Thorns leadership, U.S. Soccer, and the NWSL were not transparent with other NWSL clubs regarding the allegations and findings against Riley in the 2015 Thorns Investigation. Burke also discouraged player activism for racial equity. 7. This included not disclosing the identities of players interviewed, absent their express consent, to the NWSL, the NWSLPA, or any club, unless it was necessary to do so to prevent ongoing inappropriate conduct. players." Williams proffered non-retaliatory justifications for the transaction to the Joint Investigative Team. It was not an official or recognized union; it had no full-time staff, and it was run by active players. The publication of this Report marks the conclusion of the Joint Investigative Team's mandate to investigate ongoing concerns of misconduct in the NWSL. Since 2021, the League has taken some steps to rectify this issue. 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. Hendrix informed the Joint Investigative Team that she had subtly tried to prevent Holly from being alone with Simon. 10. Those findings will remain confidential and the league will not comment further on individual club personnel matters., Now, further details have come to light. Malik recalled that after his conversation with Paulson, he asked Plush for the report but Plush declined, telling Malik that the issue was an HR matter and that Riley had been cleared. When asked whether she could have compelled Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler to obey a League instruction not to speak with players in relation to an investigation, former U.S. Soccer and NWSL General Counsel Lisa Levine stated that the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors-of which Whisler was a member at the time-had shown that it was not inclined to act to discipline clubs. 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. One staff member said that everything Holly did "in film, in training, in games, in formations, in tactics centered around protecting" Pearce Rampone. Later that night, Bates texted Starr informing her he spoke to Racing Louisville Executive Vice President James O'Connor and Racing Louisville President Brad Estes about the sexual harassment, and they needed to know who the player was. Another player said it was "tough" to report "racial allegations" as a Black woman because "it almost feels like you're having to convince someone that it actually happened." g) A player for another club recalled that she had to take a break from the team to be with family due to anxiety, and when she returned, both her coach and the general manager informed her she would have to find her own housing because she had "made the choice" to go home temporarily due to mental health reasons.
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