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Abuse in U.S. women’s pro soccer was systemic, a report finds : NPR


North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley’s photo in 2018. An independent investigation revealed systematic emotional abuse and sexual misconduct during the National Women’s Soccer League. Two players Sinead Farrellly and Mana Shim are accused of sexual harassment and rape dating back a decade in connection with former coach Paul Riley.

Anne M. Peterson / AP


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Anne M. Peterson / AP


North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley’s photo in 2018. An independent investigation revealed systematic emotional abuse and sexual misconduct during the National Women’s Soccer League. Two players Sinead Farrellly and Mana Shim are accused of sexual harassment and rape dating back a decade in connection with former coach Paul Riley.

Anne M. Peterson / AP

An independent investigation into the scandals that broke out in the National Women’s Soccer League last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct to be systematic, according to a report released on Monday. in the sport, affecting multiple teams, coaches and players, according to a report released Monday.

“Abuse in the NWSL stems from a deeper culture in women’s football, starting in the youth leagues, which normalizes verbal abuse of coaches and blurs the line between coach and player. defender,” former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates wrote in her report on the investigation. .

US Soccer has authorized an investigation by Yates and the law firm King & Spaulding after former NWSL players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim filed a decade-old sexual harassment and rape allegation involving the former coach. Coach Paul Riley. Their account was published by The Athletic in September 2021.

Riley, who denied the allegations, was quickly fired as head coach of the North Carolina Courage, and NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird resigned.

But apparently the problems were widespread. Five of the 10 NWSL head coaches last season were fired or resigned due to alleged misconduct.

“The verbally and emotionally abused players described in the NWSL are not merely ‘hard’ training. And the players affected are not shrinking violets. They are. one of the best athletes in the world,” Yates wrote.

More than 200 people were interviewed by investigators. About two dozen organizations and individuals provided documents. US Soccer also provided documents and the company reviewed the 89,000 allegedly involved.

US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone called the findings “heartbreaking and deeply troubling.”

“The abuse is described as inexcusable and has no place on any playing field, in any training facility or workplace,” she said in a statement. “As our sport’s national governing body, US Soccer is fully committed to doing everything in its power to ensure that all players – at all levels – have a place safe and respectful to learn, grow and compete.”

The report made many recommendations to prioritize player health and safety. Among them is a requirement that teams disclose the exact misconduct of their coaches to the league and the football federation to ensure coaches are not allowed to move between teams. It also calls for meaningful examination of coaches and prompt investigation into allegations of abuse.

The investigation focused on three former coaches

The investigation focused on three former coaches, Riley, Christy Holly of Racing Louisville and Rory Dames of the Chicago Red Stars.

It recounts the April 2021 meeting between Holly and a player, Erin Simon, who is currently playing in Europe. Holly invited her to watch a game movie with him and allegedly told her that for every pass she messed up, he would touch her. Simon told investigators Holly “pushed her hands down her pants and onto her shirt.”

Simon, who now plays for Leicester City, says too many athletes suffer in silence because they fear they won’t be heard.

“I know because that’s how I feel,” the 28-year-old said in a statement. “Throughout many difficult days, only my faith has sustained and kept me going. I want to do everything in my power to make sure that no other player has to go through what I did. This report allows our voices to finally be heard and is the first step towards achieving the respectful workplace we all deserve.”

Holly’s contract was terminated, but Racing Louisville refused to publicize the reason. The Yates report noted that Racing did not provide investigators with details of Holly’s employment, citing nondisclosure and nondiscrimination terms.

Farrelly said the harassment she experienced began in 2011 when she was a player on the independent Philadelphia women’s professional soccer league. Riley is her coach.

She told The Athletic that Riley’s continued abuse while she was with the Portland Thorns in 2014 and 2015. Shim, a former Thorns player, also said she was harassed. There are no women playing in the NWSL right now.

The Thorns said they investigated Riley in 2015 when he was with the team and reported the findings to the federation. They did not renew his contract, but also did not publicize the reason.

The report said Thorns failed to release certain information and tried to prevent investigators from using the group’s 2015 report.

Yates wrote: “Portland Thorns interfered with our access to relevant witnesses and made rife legal arguments to impede our use of relevant documents.

Riley went on to coach the Western New York Flash, then moved to North Carolina and was renamed.

When the scandal broke last year, former Thorns striker Alex Morgan posted on social media: “The league has been informed of these allegations multiple times and has repeatedly refused to investigate the allegations. forced. The Federation accepts responsibility for a process that fails to protect the players themselves from this abuse.”

Morgan also said Shim and Farrelly asked the NWSL early last year for a new investigation into Riley’s conduct, but was denied.

US Soccer said its board of directors and leadership team will immediately begin implementing the report’s recommendations.

“US Soccer and the entire football community must do better, and I believe we can use this report and its recommendations as an important turning point for every organization with a mission to ensure safe for players,” said Parlow Cone. “We have much work to do and we are committed to doing that work and leading change across the entire football community.”

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