Soccer." Harrington was found to have "made inappropriate sexual and objectifying comments," and LaHue was found to have sent players inappropriate messages, the N.W.S.L. 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. Predmore said he told Benstiti that his comments were not appropriate and that he was not permitted to have a conversation with any players about diet, nutrition, or fitness under any circumstance. Sky Blue FC aims to leave Rutgers' Yurcak Field after 2019 NWSL season I don't think it's common in the sports world to have an MBA. In her summary of the conversation, Levine noted that she had cautioned Whisler about potential retaliation. 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. Paul Riley, Alyse LaHue, Sunil Gulati named in NWSL-NWSLPA abuse b) Failure to Investigate Allegations from Player Surveys Kurtz also said Riley called her fat and told her to lose a significant amount of weight within ten days. According to Temares's and Smoot's accounts, neither had the information necessary to share that others in Sky Blue leadership were aware of complaints that Holly screamed at and verbally abused players. At the conclusion of the March Investigation, the Pride's counsel substantiated that Cromwell engaged in favoritism, inappropriately communicated with and "verbally attack[ed]" players, made sexualized comments about players' appearances, disregarded the advice of the sports medicine staff, and discouraged players from utilizing reporting channels. Conduct Reference Checks for All Prospective Owners, Coaches, and other Club Staff Who May Interact With Players 3. Indeed, after Riley was fired on September 30, 2021, Kurtz disclosed additional misconduct by Riley, and another player told the club 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. When confronted by the team's captains about his response, Clarkson said that the players "should be scared.". One player referred to Riley as verbally abusive. We discussed them at length in his interview." Require Clubs to Revise Their Anti-Harassment Policies to Be Consistent with the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy Gulati recalled that he was aware in 2014 that Dames offered his resignation to Whisler because of the 2014 player survey responses, but Whisler did not accept. As one player observed, the practice of drinking together erased the sense of boundaries between "players, coaches, and general manager[s]." 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. One player recalled Harrington saying, on multiple occasions in front of players, "I need to have sex with someone tonight who's not my wife." This misconduct was perpetrated by coaches, staff, club leadership, and other individuals in positions of power. Club HR staff also were not adequately trained or provided guidance on how to respond to allegations of misconduct or how to conduct sensitive investigations in a trauma-informed manner. F. Simon described her fear that reporting Holly's misconduct could destroy her career after he insinuated to her that he had orchestrated her youth national team call-up; she recalled thinking, He could ruin me." Observations and Findings NWSL bans former coaches and fines teams for misconduct - The i Within one day of learning of the players complaint, the matter was escalated to the NWSL pursuant to league policy. Gulati responded that Dorrance "should reach out to previous owners as well" as part of "due diligence" about Riley. Multiple witnesses reported romantic relationships between players and staff members, which disrupted team environments, blurred professional boundaries, and in some cases, contributed to the mistreatment of players. [Dan Lauletta] Developing story out of Gotham FC today - reddit Kansas City Current The Joint Investigative Team was in the process of scheduling an interview with Holly when the USSF Report was released. a First, the summary stated that Dames appear[ed] to need guidance on when and how often it is appropriate to text players and the best way to provide constructive feedback. Second, the summary noted that "Dames and Whisler should be concerned about the mere appearance" that Dames had an inappropriately close relationship" with one player. On one occasion, Dames made a derogatory comment to a player who was a mother, saying something like, "What makes you think you're going to be a good mother if you can't communicate?" These categories are illustrative and non-exhaustive; emotional misconduct also can include intentionally acting in a manner that causes emotional or psychological harm, including severe or repetitive conduct, such as insulting or degrading players or by creating a hostile working environment for players. In a separate conversation with Dames, Whisler revealed that he had also spoken to a different player about the complaint. Dames's explanation relied on his communications with another staff member, but the investigator did not attempt to speak to this staff member or otherwise corroborate Dames's explanation. The USSF Dames Investigation surfaced several concerns about Dames, but those concerns were not appropriately investigated or addressed. 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. Hendrix also attended the meeting. Historically, SafeSport has been an ineffective reporting channel for NWSL players experiencing misconduct. When the League initiated an investigation into a complaint against Dames in 2018, Whisler spoke directly to Dames about the complainant and created the risk that Dames would retaliate against the player. One player described feeling anxious and upset after a coach was "almost screaming on top of [her], pointing his finger." Making recommendations on discipline for individuals or organizations was outside the scope of the Joint Investigative Team's work. Farrelly tried to pretend these sexual encounters never occurred, but Riley would try to talk about them with her. 11 Former NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey said that in the League's early years, there was an expectation that clubs would each develop their own HR capability. Another player also stated that the training environment was dangerous and that there was a lack of proper coaching. With the new details from the joint investigation along with the previous report released in October, it has become apparent that significant policy changes must be made to the league to ensure this behavior is discouraged and, if it does occur, reported and handled properly. 3. Shim's and Farrelly's interviews occurred in person at Providence Park, the stadium where We may eventually find out what happened to LaHue and we may not. Coupled with the fact that Clarkson served as both head coach and general manager, this perceived close relationship led players to feel like they had no avenues to report their concerns and that no one was monitoring Clarkson's conduct to ensure that it was appropriate. The Thorns's outside counsel told U.S. Mental Health First Aid training tailored toward sport professionals could help players and staff develop the skills to recognize and respond to players navigating mental health challenges. This included withholding documents and other information related to an investigation U.S. Soccer conducted into reports of misconduct by Rory Dames for the better part of a year. One assistant coach described how Holly would "ream out two Black players on the team and how he described them as lazy. The assistant coach noted Holly's description was both inaccurate and racially insensitive. While the NWSL did not specify the reason for the fines, multiple reports indicated that they were the result of Red Stars co-owner Sarah Spain and then-Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue expressing their support for Gorden publicly on Twitter after the league had asked team staff members to refrain commenting on the incident. B. This was despite Shim and Farrelly both indicating in their 2021 communications that they were dissatisfied with the NWSL's response to the 2015 complaint and investigation, and Farrelly providing additional information regarding Riley that should have been of interest to the NWSL. In September 2021, this requirement was updated to include assistant coaches and other club staff who would regularly interact with players. 81, After the end of the 2021 season, when the Current finished in last place in the League, Williams was relieved of his coaching duties, and he moved to a scouting role at the Current. Ms. LaHue has sat for approximately seventeen (17) hours of interviews and continually requested access to materials related to her case., According to the joint investigative report, LaHue participated in an initial interview but later canceled another scheduled interview through her counsel and declined repeated requests to reschedule. As described below, individuals from U.S. Soccer, including General Counsel Lisa Levine, her successor Chief Legal Officer Lydia Wahlke, President Sunil Gulati, and CEO Dan Flynn, failed on numerous occasions to disclose what they knew about Riley's misconduct to other NWSL clubs that hired him. Anti-harassment training offered by the NWSL should clearly instruct staff that electronic communications, including text messages, WhatsApp messages, and emails, must comply with, and are subject to, the Anti-Harassment Policy. This trial and error process is what highlights need and in turn creates important policies and guidelines for stability in our infrastructure, Zerboni told Equalizer. Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue was fired by the team earlier this month on July 9, the club announced Friday. I think most people that get an MBA then try to go on and get a nice . Soccer." Shim and Farrelly expressed concern that Riley was still coaching in the NWSL, and Farrelly provided additional information regarding Riley that should have been of interest to the NWSL, but Levine did not take any steps to investigate further and drafted responsive language for then-Commissioner Lisa Baird to send to Shim and Farrelly conveying that the matter was closed. The report included: (i) descriptions of those interviewed; (ii) details about players' concerns, as well as Dames's and Whisler's responses to those concerns; (iii) a summary of the law firm's factual findings; and (iv) a conclusion. 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. Interviews Conducted On August 11, 2021, The Washington Post reported that Spirit Head Coach Richie Burke had verbally and emotionally abused players. 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. Following the receipt of evidence that Cromwell and Greene were retaliating against players and considering removing from the team players they believed had participated in the March Investigation, the Joint Investigative Team recommended in June 2022 that Cromwell and Greene be placed on Reports of Misconduct in 2020 and 2021 In some of these texts, Riley had noted that his messages to Shim "get a bit riskee [sic]," and he complained that he never saw Shim alone, telling her, "[Y]ou avoid me like the plaque [sic]." The Management Agreement explained that U.S. Soccer would "provide NWSL with all management, governance, operational, administrative, and advisory services. U.S. Soccer remained the manager of the NWSL until December 31, 2020. In the USSF Dames Report, a player described Dames calling a player trailer trash and insulting her educational background when she made a mistake. 72, her a new one," about a player and within earshot of the player after she asked about practicing set pieces during training. Don't ever leave me." The NWSL periodically distributed annual player surveys seeking feedback from players about a variety of topics. In at least one instance, a former player declined to participate in a prior investigation due to this fear. Each individual was invited to speak with the Joint Investigative Team. Inappropriate Comments About Player Weight and Body Types The NWSL should increase transparency regarding the outcomes of investigations and the NWSL's investigation processes generally. The player spoke to Levine and Duffy later that day to explain her concerns. It should also provide examples of the types of personal attacks or degradation of players that are prohibited by the Anti-Harassment Policy. One player said that she considered quitting rather than reporting harassment because she was skeptical that the League would handle her complaint properly. According to the report, one player recalled that players "felt forced to attend" social interactions with Dames, and if they did not, he "wouldn't look at [them] the next day at practice." North Carolina Courage 71, their faces, and gesturing in a threatening manner in their faces. 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. Lines told Plush that he told Riley that Riley "can not allow that the [sic] of situation to happen again." Despite the discussions between U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and both the Thorns and Courage regarding Rileys unsuitability to coach the USWNT, no steps were taken to remove or prevent him from coaching NWSL players, the report alleges. Coaches and Club Staff E. Together with favorable comments Paulson and Wilkinson made about Riley, this reinforced the impression formed by the Flash and the Courage that Riley had not engaged in misconduct when employed by the Thorns. 2. Now, league leadership must make meaningful changes: sources tell ESPN that the NWSL board received the report at the same time as it was released to the public, but in terms of timing, some of the report's recommendations could well be in place before the start of the 2023 season. The statement said LaHue was first contacted by this investigation in August, and did not get an interview until only after she made several requests for one. In late June 2015, Riley encouraged players to attend a Women's World Cup match in Vancouver. In her email, the player said that she wanted to "report[] her owner" for "neglecting issues he is aware of" and alleged that Dames was engaging in inappropriate relationships with players.' 118 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 Another player stated that her team had been "brainwashed" into thinking that Riley's coaching methods were necessary for the team to win. 31, [U.S. Soccer] are aware of the issues because they were raised when he was at the Thorns." C. Gulati recalled this email and stated, "I don't know what else we can do when [Whisler] doesn't accept the coach's resignation." The Flash then became a new NWSL club, the Courage, which also retained Riley as head coach. Finally, in certain instances where players reported concerns publicly, including on social media or in statements to the press, or have otherwise authorized the Joint Investigative Team to use their names, this Report identifies those players where appropriate. The Joint Investigative Team considered the following factors when deciding whether to identify an individual who engaged in misconduct: whether (i) the misconduct was widely reported in major news outlets; (ii) the misconduct was severe; (iii) the misconduct was repeated; and (iv) there is a risk of substantial harm to NWSL players, youth players, or others if the individual is not identified. 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." Additionally, Shim told Garcia that following the incident in which she and Farrelly kissed at Riley's apartment, Farrelly told Shim that this kind of thing happened with Riley. Accordingly, she cooperated in the first, second, and third investigations into alleged conduct from April 2020 reported in June 2021. 90, with NWSL policies were unclear as to what those policies were and what club employees' obligations were. Some clubs, including Sky Blue, the Current, the Courage, the Spirit, and the Red Stars, had staff who were nominally in charge of HR overall, but who in practice focused only on handling payroll and other logistics issues. 87, When the NWSL distributed its Anti-Harassment Policy in April 2021, it was not accompanied by any training. Pauw appeared for an interview with the Joint Investigative Team, but refused to cooperate. Recommendations.. During the limbo period, the National Womens Soccer League media relations department was mildly more helpful, finally acknowledging the situation by saying they were not going to comment on a club matter. On another club, a staff member observed that when new players joined the team, the head coach would comment on their sexual orientation. After a player filed a complaint about the speech with Predmore and with the League, the club asked Benstiti to resign. 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." Former NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird stated that U.S. Soccer had "widespread approvals over everything in the League and that representatives from U.S. Soccer were "participants in every board meeting." At least one player and a volunteer at the club corroborated that Holly treated Simon harshly. Players were frequently reminded of the fragility and financial instability of the League. The NWSL should emphasize that this program is not a substitute for reporting channels provided in the Anti-Harassment Policy and should not encourage players or staff to address potential misconduct under the Anti-Harassment Policy through the Alternative Complaint Resolution program. According to Wilkinson, he told Lines that U.S. Soccer had the investigative report regarding Riley. Alyse LaHue. Women's Soccer Bans Ex-Coaches and Fines Teams After Misconduct Report The NWSL also announced plans to launch a new position dedicated to player safety. Formation of a Players' Union . The Equalizer later reported that the investigation stemmed from a complaint filed with the league under its anti-harassment policy. An investigation commissioned by the National Women's Soccer League and its players union found "widespread misconduct" directed at players dating back to the beginnings nearly a decade ago of the league. In the player survey, Thorns players anonymously commented that Riley "ripped/yelled at players in a hurtful, non-productive way," was "verbally abussive [sic]," and would "call [players] dumb, stupid, slow, idiotic, retarded, we have no balls, we will never be better than the average 16 year old boy, worthless." Holly complained to Simon about Hendrix and referred to Hendrix as a "cockblock." Around August 2019, U.S. Soccer was considering Riley for the position of head coach for the USWNT, though several current and former U.S. Soccer employees stated that Riley was never in serious contention for the role. 7. Levine gave the HR employee the impression that Riley was a "respected coach and the "players [were] trying to get him out." The club had asked the NWSL to run a standard background check on this potential hire but did not request a reputational check. Likewise, at least two players expressed surprise that Amanda Cromwell had been hired as head coach of the Pride despite concerns arising from her tenure at UCLA. The NWSL has plans to engage a law firm to provide anti-harassment training to all NWSL and club staff, volunteers, and players. 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. Second, the investigation found that players and club staff did not trust reporting processes or the league at large, so much so that it affected participation even in this investigation, which had the oversight of the players' union, the NWSLPA. 14, Uncertainty about the League's stability also may have influenced how the leaders and managers of the League addressed potential issues and concerns. The League has committed to communicating and consulting with the NWSLPA in player-involved investigations as part of these procedures. Riley grabbed Shim, pulled her back against him, and tried to grind against her. Christy Holly's Sexual Misconduct and Abuse Another player remembered that Riley would "buy rounds and rounds of shots," which she thought was "awesome" as a 21-year-old but later found "weird." Holly also crossed boundaries with other players by making unwanted sexual advances and overt sexual remarks to them. Other Inconsistencies Between the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy and Club Policies Oversight Committee Composition and Operation. Players, fans, and the public reacted with outrage. Players and former assistant coaches said that Holly would "ream" out players, verbally attack[] them, and play mind games. Holly retaliated against players who resisted his unwanted advances or complained about his conduct. At some point, the notion of Shim and Farrelly kissing was raised, though no one could recall in 2015 who raised the idea; Farrelly told the Joint Investigative Team that Riley pushed the notion of intimacy between the players-both that night and persistently even before that nightand Shim and Farrelly have since recalled that Riley likely came up with the idea for them to kiss. And we have to do something about it." One player recalled Riley demanding that she lose 10 to 15 pounds in a month. Racing Louisville investigated but did not substantiate a relationship between Holly and the staff member. For example, Burke told the team they were having a Holocaust" when performing poorly; put a surgical mask-used to protect against COVID-19-on his head to simulate a yarmulke and sang a Jewish song" (which Burke told the Joint Investigative Team was Adam Sandler's "The Chanukah Song"); and called a passing drill the "Jew star." If [a player] gets [an] injury we still need [her.]" Whisler did not recall knowing who raised the complaint and said that he did not think Levine instructed him to refrain from speaking to players during this initial conversation, but she did tell him not to speak to players in a subsequent call to inform him of U.S. Soccer's investigation. In another instance, a player reported that Clarkson angrily asked her, "How the fuck are you so unprofessional," when she had to come out of a game due to an injury. Several witnesses noted that speaking to a coach's former players or employers about the coach's behavior could surface issues that would not be uncovered in a traditional background check. One owner similarly expressed confusion over the extent to which clubs could perform HR functions for players, given that clubs are "not [players'] employers." One of the more significant changes revised the procedures for handling and investigating reports of potential violations. 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. Wilkinson told the Joint Investigative Team he learned of at least one occasion in mid-2015 in which Riley had been drinking socially with players. Cromwell's, Greene's, and Reis's conduct could discourage players and staff from reporting misconduct in the future, and their conduct, therefore, directly contradicted the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, which aims to detect and prevent misconduct, protect players and others from retaliation for engaging in Protected Activity, and create a safe working environment for players. During the sixth minute of each match, the teams stopped play and gathered in a circle at midfield in recognition of the six years it had taken for the reports against Riley to become public. A staff member at the club said that Baldwin "[got] protective and [dug] his claws in about people. This mandatory anti-harassment training should be interactive and provide opportunities for participants to ask questions. One player said she felt that she could not breathe or think when Clarkson yelled at her as she was playing; another said she felt under the microscope based on the position she played and feared she would be cut from the team. He also recalled being told that players were concerned about the amount of training given to non-starters. The 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced free agency for a subset of players that meet certain service requirements. Getting a massage." Work on the USSF Dames Investigation ended in September 2019, and the investigator's draft report was sent to Wahlke, but the investigation was never formally concluded. She failed to take steps to protect players during the investigation, and ultimately failed to act on evidence of Dames's misconduct. The surveys also asked some open-ended questions and provided space for players to enter comments. A staff member reported that he and another staff member told Clarkson that they did not believe it was a hangover. The Joint Investigative Team sought evidence from U.S. Soccer in the form of relevant documents and interviews of current and former U.S. Soccer employees. The Yates report made note of teams and individuals who did not cooperate, including the Portland Thorns, Chicago Red Stars, and Racing Louisville FC.
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