Sky Blue was not the only club at which a staff member and player became involved. The relationship between the League and playersas employer and employees contributed to the confusion between clubs and the League about their responsibilities in addressing misconduct. One player remembered that there was "casual drinking throughout the day while players stayed at his home, and it felt like the alcohol was a gateway" for Riley to "wiggle his way in" with players. 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. As described in the following sections, the failure to fully and adequately investigate and address these reports harmed NWSL players and discouraged players and other stakeholders from reporting misconduct. Enhance Reporting and Investigation Procedures. 4. Through these interviews, the Joint Investigative Team gathered evidence from players in every active and former NWSL club. 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. 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. The NWSL and NWSLPA authorized the Report's release, in its entirety, to the NWSL community and the public. In his interview with the Joint Investigative Team, Clarkson exhibited a lack of candor. Players reported that Holly also regularly made overtly sexual remarks toward players, both at Sky Blue and Racing Louisville, separate from the misconduct directed toward Simon. Whisler has demonstrated a willingness to counsel Dames and shut down offensive conduct." On a different occasion, Dames called Stanton into his office and told her she was playing poorly. 2. Wahlke also showed USWNT General Manager Kate Markgraf-who was involved in hiring the USWNT coach and who told the Joint Investigative Team that Riley was never seriously considered-a document containing some of the allegations that had been made against Riley in 2015. You should be so thankful I'm part of your life. 119, financial support for players pursuing coaching licenses, with the long-term goal of hiring a greater number of qualified former NWSL players as coaches. Hammond told the Joint Investigative Team that he assured Kurtz that she was not chubby and told her that "sometimes, coaches choose their words poorly." It explicitly requires club employees to elevate all reports of misconduct to the League and clearly states that the League will investigate such reports. The 2021 Anti-Harassment Policy prohibited harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, bullying, hazing, and other forms of physical and emotional misconduct. A few weeks later, on June 12, 2018, another Red Stars player emailed the NWSL HR office to file a complaint about Dames and Whisler. At first, she thought the offers were "nice" because she did not "know what the boundaries [were]." During the USSF Dames Investigation, players reported multiple instances of Dames using racist language, including calling a Black player a thug and describing her as "acting like a gang member." 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.' Some players and staff (other than Cromwell and Greene) were left with the incorrect understanding that none of the allegations had been substantiated, that no remedial actions were taken to address Cromwell's and Greene's behavior, and that the club was standing by the coaches. . 4. A spokesperson for Gotham FC provided Equalizer with the following statement regarding the handling of the complaint made against LaHue: NJ/NY Gotham FC ownership acted immediately upon learning of a confidential player complaint against former General Manager Alyse LaHue. 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. Vera Pauw, who was the Houston Dash head coach in 2018 and is currently the head coach of the Ireland women's national team -- which will play in its first Women's World Cup next year -- was also identified in the report. 13, In November 2021, The Washington Post published an article reporting that Rory Dames, head coach of the Red Stars and the longest-tenured coach in the League, had been verbally and emotionally abusive towards players, and that U.S. Soccer had failed to adequately investigate and respond to reports of his misconduct. 114, staff and players to identify conditions and circumstances for socializing that prioritize player safety and respect for boundaries. Players reported that Pauw's comments affected a teammate struggling with an eating disorder. They represented the two Level Two . Around this time, a Racing Louisville staff member raised concerns that Holly was romantically involved with another staff member at Racing Louisville and that this alleged relationship negatively impacted the team environment. The report also indicated that Gotham was one of seven clubs where players indicated to the Joint Investigative Team that they were unaware of whether the club had HR personnel or otherwise did not know to whom they could report concerns at their club. The Anti-Harassment Policy should specify that the Non-Fraternization Policy applies not just to head coaches, but also to assistant coaches and any other club staff in supervisory positions over players. Witnesses also reported that the coach attempted to get another player to dance with him and told her he did not care about her sexuality. A second investigation into systemic abuse in the National Women's Soccer League was released Wednesday, providing further details of how the league, its clubs and the U.S. Soccer Federation failed to protect players and allowed misconduct to run rampant throughout the 10-year-old league. She also reported that she had not at the time personally dealt with her experiences with Riley, and she was afraid of jeopardizing her position on the Thorns, which she felt was the best team to play for in the NWSL. These sentiments, in combination with the downplaying of the allegations and findings against Riley, contributed to the Flash's and Courage's limited understanding of the events of 2015. The actions of League and U.S. Soccer personnel-from the League's founding, through its years under U.S. Soccer management, to the present-demonstrate that misconduct does not announce itself, but requires proactive prevention and detection. 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. Further, the Joint Investigative Team found that the NWSL investigation put the complainant at risk of retaliation and failed to adequately prevent interference from the Red Stars. In response to the complaint made directly to the League, Baird spoke with Malik and Riley to relay that Riley should not be speaking to players about their weight; rather, weight and fitness issues should be handled by a nutritionist. For example, the Courage's policy did not contain an anti-retaliation provision. Rather than removing Dames, reprimanding him, or initiating an investigation into players' allegations of abuse, Whisler continually defended Dames and expressed suspicion about players' motives for raising concerns. 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. 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. WPS's problems compounded in 2011, when Dan Borislow, the owner of the WPS club magicJack, became embroiled in a series of conflicts over his violations of WPS procedures. 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. b) Failures of Background Checks The Joint Investigative Team also reached out to approximately 150 current and former players individually by email, telephone, and/or text and invited them to share their, experiences with the Joint Investigative Team. These dynamics have been apparent in the League and beyond. 4. The Joint Investigative Team found no evidence that any of the 2020 player survey responses were elevated to Levine or anyone working in HR at the League. 97, In an email exchange in July 2017, Sky Blue owner Steven Temares asked Novo whether "Christy has a relationship that takes advantage of any player or makes his independence as a coach questionable among the players." Players on NWSL clubs are NWSL employees, while coaches and other team personnel are club employees. This former player said a few players were kind of being weirded out" by Dames's invitations, because they felt he was "always asking" them "to go get food" or to "hang out" with him. Holly then declined to speak to the Joint Investigative Team. 50, The Joint Investigative Team encountered significant delays in its attempts to collect relevant documents from the Red Stars. Overall, the downplaying of Riley's misconduct by key individuals with first-hand knowledge evinced that the Thorns, the NWSL, and U.S. Soccer did These considerations included the coaches' sudden fixation on and urgency in removing these players, the labeling of these players by Cromwell and Greene as "negative and not "bought-in," the decision to avoid interactions with these players and plan to exclude them from certain team activities following the March Investigation, and Cromwell's and Greene's shifting justifications for the intended transactions. The team's first game was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, which required a 6:00 a.m. wake-up call. It's across the League. 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 focus of the investigation was too narrow, and interviews were not sufficiently thorough. 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. Baird ultimately replied that Shim's 2015 complaint was "investigated to conclusion" and that she was "not at liberty to share any more with Shim. Johnson told the Joint Investigative Team that he spoke to Flynn on the phone as part of vetting Riley and that Flynn shared that Riley drank with players at a bar and that players "ended up" at Riley's apartment. The Joint Investigative Team found that the League and its clubs failed to take adequate steps to protect players in hiring and filling positions. 34, another club following the 2015 investigation. A report organized by the league and its players union added yet more stinging information about how the league was mismanaged and how it mistreated its players. This aspect of the training also should be interactive and should provide opportunities for questions. 10. The complainant explained that one night, Riley told two players that the team would not have to do fitness drills if they kissed. In 2014, when he read that players felt Dames was creating "a hostile work environment," Whisler responded that the players who raised those concerns probably "didn't start or play the way they wanted to." As noted above, Riley called Mana Shim "hot" and "sexy." This player sensed that Riley "wanted to keep [her] feeling like [she] owed him and would do favors for him. Clarkson denied ever raising his voice at players or losing control of his emotions, notwithstanding credible evidence to the contrary. This same player stated Riley called players "dumb, stupid, slow, idiotic, retarded" and "worthless," and remarked that the players had "no balls" and would never be better than the average 16 year old boy." Players and staff also described coaches creating emotionally toxic workplace environments by subjecting players to volatility or manipulation. Following the September 30, 2021, publication of the Athletic article detailing allegations against Courage Head Coach Paul Riley, the NWSLPA released a statement announcing that players would "no longer be complicit in a culture of silence that has enabled abuse and exploitation in [the League] and in [soccer]." We interview the founders, investors, technologists, and early stage employees who are part of today's entrepreneurial ecosystem. 9. For example, one player recalled reaching out to an owner regarding a housing stipend that clubs could provide to players. Furthermore, Thorns owner and then-CEO Merritt Paulson and then-Thorns General Manager Gavin Wilkinson were familiar with the 2015 allegations and findings against Riley, but they were not transparent with the Flash and the Courage when those clubs were vetting Riley. Reports of Misconduct in 2020 and 2021 In March 2021, Morgan sent a letter representing 240 NWSL players to then-NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird. She also feared Holly would ruin her career. Multiple current and former players from the Current raised concerns that Williams retaliated against players for participating in the meeting with ownership, both by mistreating players who complained and by taking actions to remove them from the club. This assessment of Whisler failed to acknowledge the report's own statement that "four of the players with the most significant concerns did not, for various reasons, believe Whisler [was] willing to address those concerns." Leveraging Players' Job Insecurity and Ambition The anti-retaliation trainings should explain that ostracizing players or staff or ignoring them, denying players certain training opportunities or playing time, or showing favoritism toward certain other players or staff could be retaliatory if a motivating factor for engaging in the conduct relates to those individuals participating in a Protected Activity under the AntiHarassment Policy. 74, At the time of Benstiti's hiring, Bill Predmore was the club's majority owner and CEO, and he conducted the head coach search process. One player told Predmore that they believed it to be "so important" that the club's communications state that Farid ha[d] been terminated. Second, U.S. Soccer and certain NWSL clubs asserted the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine over information relevant to this investigation, or delayed providing key evidence on privilege grounds or due to confidentiality or non-disparagement provisions in agreements with coaches fired for misconduct. The agreement also expressly permitted Holly to provide an honest assessment of players' performances-including Simon-notwithstanding the risk that he would retaliate against Simon or others by sharing negative feedback with scouts or coaches. In September 2021, this requirement was updated to include assistant coaches and other club staff who would regularly interact with players. One member of the NWSL community criticized the SafeSport trainings as not being interactive and consisting of lectures and short quizzes that participants are not required to pass before proceeding with the training. . A few weeks later, on October 2, 2014, then-NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey shared a version of the USWNT players' comments with the Red Stars. During this meeting, Simon recalled Wilkins and her supervisor asked Simon to share as much detail as she was comfortable sharing about Holly's treatment of her, and they asked her to go from "start to finish." IV. Simon recalled that during the camp, Holly did in fact try to get Simon to come to his hotel room, but she never did. Ensure the Channels for Reporting Misconduct Are Responsive to the Needs of Players and Staff of Color and LGBTQIA+ Players and Staff 3. When asked about his comment, Burke claimed that he was not making light of the incident, but rather that he was upset about it. Expectations of Gratitude and Acquiescence Despite reports from players that club staff and ownership were aware of Burkes mistreatment of players, the Spirit did not launch an investigation into Burke until the club learned that a Washington Post article would publicly reveal allegations that Burke verbally and emotionally abused players and made racially insensitive comments. The statement reads in part, Ms. Only two clubs' employee handbooks-the Spirit's and Gotham's-referenced the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy. The perception of closeness between Riley and the Thorns front office was not limited to players; former NWSL Commissioner Jeff Plush remarked in an email, after learning that Riley had been hired at the Flash in 2016, that his guess" was that Wilkinson "helped" Riley with the Flash. In her interview with the Joint Investigative Team, Ellis did not recall players bringing to her attention verbal abuse or racist or sexist comments by NWSL coaches during her tenure with the USWNT. Racing Louisville did not appropriately respond to players' reports about Holly's conduct as the club's head coach. Players also expressed concerns that Williams, whom they believed had engaged in retaliation towards players who complained about him, was moved into a position where he was involved in decisions on player trades and other transactions; Williams acknowledged being involved in player transaction decisions during this time, but said the general manager finalized such decisions. Whisler said that Wahlke called him for "just a couple minutes" when the investigation ended, and that on this call, he was not informed of the need for "dramatic remediation" and there was no suggestion that Dames "shouldn't be in the [NWSL]." The Joint Investigative Team considered whether the conduct at issue violated the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, regardless of when the conduct occurred. Players reported the coaching staff physically turned their backs on the player while she was experiencing a panic attack and did not follow up with this player afterward to ask how she was doing. 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." Racing Louisville only provided more meaningful cooperation after the USSF Report criticized the club for its "limited" cooperation with U.S. Soccer's investigation. 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. Players at the Current said that the friendly relationship between Huw Williams and club owners Chris and Angie Long, dating back to Williams's management of the Longs's daughter's youth soccer club, affected players' ability to report misconduct. This investigation precipitated the chain of events leading to the later retaliation claims. The Joint Investigative Team requested documents from every club through the appropriate club official or club counsel. Please sign in below. However, it is far from the only misconduct experienced by players. 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. 4. Misconduct against players has occurred at the vast majority of NWSL clubs at various times, from the earliest years of the League to the present. He went on to describe players as "desperate to get starts" and said he knew that the team would become fragile "if th[e] poison continue[d]." Allowing Riley to continue coaching in the NWSL endangered NWSL players. Gulati told the Joint Investigative Team that he surmised he had received legal advice that there was nothing that could formally be done to stop Riley from coaching elsewhere in the NWSL. To encourage participation and transparency with responses, the NWSL should take steps to ensure the surveys are anonymous. According to the USSF Dames Report, Dames admitted that he used the term "thug" to refer to a Black player but adamantly denied any racial intent. Gotham FC cooperated in all respects with the NWSL investigation. . Most prominently, on September 30, 2021, The Athletic reported that then-North Carolina Courage Head Coach Paul Riley had engaged in sexual misconduct during his tenure as head coach of Portland Thorns FC. Harrington reportedly tried to enter the hotel room, and one of the players "shoved him out. 22, b) 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. The Yahoo! In 2022, it was updated to prohibit discrimination and retaliation more explicitly. The League announced that the investigation would include the following: The lack of uniform NWSL-wide anti-harassment training contributed to players and club staff being unsure what conduct is appropriate and what behavior constitutes misconduct under the policy. Players and club staff also reported that they questioned Holly's decision-making because of this romantic relationship. Clubs Moved Coaches Accused of Misconduct to Other Roles While the player surveys asked players to rate the knowledge and skill set of certain club staff, including coaching staff, the surveys did not ask specific questions about any misconduct the players experienced or observed. When U.S. Soccer did respond to the Joint Investigative Team's requests, it produced limited documentation and refused the Joint Investigative Team's request to identify the documents withheld.". On October 4, 2022, in response to the USSF Report, Paulson publicly stated that he, Wilkinson, and Golub were removing themselves from all Thorns-related decision-making until the Joint Investigative Team's investigative findings were released. b) The report itself did not include or reference any finding about the lawfulness of Riley's conduct. This Report, prepared by Covington in collaboration with Weil, summarizes that joint investigation and offers recommendations for systemic reform. With regards to the League's legal and HR functions, from 2012-2017, then-U.S. Soccer General Counsel Levine handled the NWSL's legal and HR responsibilities in the absence of an NWSL general counsel. Coaches and Club Staff Two prior leagues have." The group, including Thorp, went to Riley's apartment, though Thorp left shortly thereafter. Players were frequently reminded of the fragility and financial instability of the League. The results of all background checks should be shared with the League office and copies maintained for at least five years, subject to any applicable legal restrictions. The relationship also created problems among the players. The clubs that do address these topics in their handbooks set forth policies that depart from the League policy in various ways. Sky Blue FC announced on Tuesday evening that Tony Novo had officially resigned as club president and general manager. Farrelly felt coerced into having sexual intercourse with Riley based on the dynamic between them and his control over her soccer career. This may require removing some questions that were included in prior player surveys that could be used to identify responding players, including questions about previous teams, pay, and nationality. 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. LaHue participated in an initial interview, but then cancelled a follow-up interview. And thorough vetting, including a reputational check, is time-intensive and expensive. The scope of fact-finding was limited, and during the interview of and subsequent communications with Shim, the investigator was focused on whether any unlawful harassment had occurred and whether Shim might have a legal claim against the Thorns. 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? 98, Multiple players also voiced concerns that coaches found to have committed misconduct were not terminated but were instead allowed to resign from their positions. alyse lahue relationship. In 2018, former Red Stars player Christen Press made a complaint about Chicago Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames to U.S. Soccer, alleging that he engaged in verbal and emotional abuse. Club policies should state clearly that all club staff are also subject to the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy, which goes beyond merely prohibiting unlawful harassment. Embrace Player Insight as Part of the Hiring and Vetting Processes The NWSL should re-open investigations when appropriate upon obtaining additional relevant information. Club statement. She recalled Harrington commenting that some players had "good bodies but unattractive" faces, and he would refer to those players as "butterfaces" or "shrimpheads." The Thorns's handbook contains a similar Anti-Fraternization Policy which states that "[d]ating, romantic, and sexual relationships between players and staff and between managers and subordinates are prohibited." "We've seen other teams continue to up their professional standards, and Sky Blue has to follow suit," LaHue said. NEW YORK Sky Blue FC has restructured its leadership, announcing Wednesday the arrival of a new minority owner in Ed Nalbandian and a new role for Tammy Murphy, the New Jersey First Lady. Sky Blue FC general manager Alyse LaHue reinforced her reputation as a draft-day wheeler-dealer on Wednesday night. The NWSL should share the nature of the misconduct with U.S. Soccer while protecting the confidentiality of anyone who experienced discrimination, harassment, bullying, or other forms of abuse, to the extent feasible.
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