When asked why she did not inquire further in response to Shim's and Farrelly's 2021 complaints, she responded by focusing on language from Shim's and Farrelly's 2021 complaints in which they asked how the NWSL would respond to Shim's initial or underlying 2015 complaint, which Levine said had already been investigated by outside lawyers and which she did not believe there was a basis for re-opening. During her interview-which was two hours long (more than twice as long as any other interview conducted at the time)Shim recounted the instances she had described in her complaint. The NWSL should consider engaging with the NWSLPA on the role and parameters of such a program to ensure that it is responsive to player needs and concerns and that it is developed and implemented in a player-centered way. Craig Harrington: The former Utah Royals coach is reported to have. While the emails between Whisler, Bailey, Flynn, and Gulati obtained by the Joint Investigative Team do not reflect this, Whisler said that he attempted, but was unable, to get more information from U.S. Soccer on the comments regarding Dames or direction on how to address them. c) Inappropriate Player-Staff Relationships 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." 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. In one instance, a clubwhich had properly followed the protocols with respect to its new head coach-hired two assistant coaches without informing the NWSL or completing the NWSL's vetting process. The sale was finalized in March 2022. In January 2018, Dames informed Whisler that he could lower the pay for two staff members because those staff members would earn additional income working for Eclipse. The 29-player list Access the best womens soccer coverage all year long. Club staff designated as the individuals to receive reports of potential misconduct should regularly meet in person with players-without coaches and other club staff present-to explain their roles and reporting procedures. Because background checks were not required for player-facing staff until late 2021, several of the coaches, staff, and other individuals discussed in this Report were not subject to those checks. 1. Clarkson admitted speaking to players about drinking and professionalism, and although he understood that the players may have felt attacked, he denied "attacking" anyone. The staff member's account contradicts Predmore's claim that he was unaware of any issues with Benstiti until after Benstiti signed his contract on January 11, 2020. The response from League leadership to 2015 survey results regarding Aaran Lines stood in stark contrast to the response to the survey results regarding either Riley or Dames. Throughout Dames's tenure as head coach of the Red Stars, owner Arnim Whisler minimized and dismissed players' concerns that Dames was verbally and emotionally abusive. The Thorns reversed their position in February 2022 after protracted discussions with the Joint Investigative Team about the validity of the privilege claim as to the report. For example, multiple players on the Red Stars reported that players were concerned that the club would fold if it received negative press. For example, in 2021 following an NWSL game in Houston, Sarah Gorden, a Black player, posted on social media that her boyfriend, who went to see her in the stands after the game, was followed by stadium security and was told he would be arrested if he came close. It's not just this team. One assistant coach recalled another coach making comments about players' weight and once telling a player at a restaurant, You can't eat this. Despite learning this information, investigators and individuals kept apprised of the investigation, including the Thorns and Levine, did not probe further by interviewing other witnesses, requesting additional text messages or emails, or asking Riley about his relationship with Farrelly, among other things. This incident was corroborated by both players and staff members. No reason to keep her, she is poison at this point. The announcement finally came on July 16, about a termination that happened on July 9. Mishandling of Rory Dames's Misconduct by U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and the Chicago Red Stars Misconduct in the League is not wholly independent from abuse that begins in youth soccer, where many coaches and players formative experiences shaped the way they engaged in, or reacted to, misconduct and abuse in the NWSL.. II. Multiple players reported concerns about staff members having frequent social interactions with players and controlling players' social lives. For example, players on multiple teams recalled either being chased down to be yelled at or watching their coach physically follow their teammates to berate them in a way that bystanders recognized as unacceptable. The same player recalled that Dames would discuss another player's boyfriend frequently in the locker room and would make it known that he hated the boyfriend. When Racing Louisville sought feedback on Holly from references at Sky Blue, Novo was no longer there and the individuals at Sky Blue that Racing Louisville spoke with did not know about and therefore did not convey the full universe of concerns originally raised by players against Holly, instead citing only Holly's relationship with a player. According to Markgraf, Wahlke said that the Thorns had investigated the matter, and Markgraf understood from the conversation that Riley had been cleared and that his departure from the club was not related to the 2015 investigation. 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. At some point that night, only Riley, Shim, Farrelly, and Thorns Assistant Coach William "Skip" Thorp remained in the bar, and the four left together when the bar closed. sex. Consider Requiring Clubs to Report Planned Player Transactions or Staff Terminations to the NWSL Following Allegations of Misconduct 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. From simultaneous kickoffs to end the regular season, to relegating the Challenge Cup to On Monday, NJ/NY Gotham FC released their highly anticipated preseason roster. These biases are central to any evaluation of misconduct in the League. Sign in to your account. 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. Multiple players recalled former Thorns Head Coach Paul Riley informing players that he could influence their national team call-ups. 52, Simon recalled that Holly once brought her into a suite in the Racing Louisville stadium for a film session, even though she had tried to hold it in a public place. Formation of a Players' Union A majority of the players who participated in the investigation raised the concern that "Dames would get close to players, learn personal information about them, and then use the information he gained . The 2020 survey also asked several questions about NWSL tournaments and schedules. Players suggested that this relationship led to favoritism and improper information-sharing. The Joint Investigative Team contacted and attempted to interview every individual who was the subject of a report of misconduct and whom the Joint Investigative Team considered naming in this Report. Historically, SafeSport has been an ineffective reporting channel for NWSL players experiencing misconduct. The NWSL should consider adopting Mental Health First Aid training. Following WUSA's collapse in 2003, the United States was without a professional women's soccer league until WPS began play in March 2009. Aside from Lines, Levine told the Joint Investigative Team that she could not recall any specific follow-up by the League or U.S. Soccer based on survey results. It's not just this coach. Burke also discouraged player activism for racial equity. Whisler also wrote, "The senior [US]WNT players absolutely want this league to shut down so they don't have as much competition for their spots and so they can make more money overseas." Some clubs have strictly enforced a non-fraternization policy. The evidence suggests he also discussed with Levine and with U.S. Soccer's outside counsel that Levine should give Sky Blue certain information about the allegations of sexual harassment against Riley, the circumstances of Riley's termination from the Thorns, and conclusions from the 2015 investigation. It contributed to the perception among the general public, players, club staff, and owners alike that Riley's departure from the Thorns was voluntary or performance-related, rather than due to his misconduct. Ms. LaHue immediately hired a top digital forensic company, which provided the JIT metadata and evidence of alterations in documents used against her., That relates to a line in the report which says the Joint Investigative Team identified discrepancies in versions of an email exchange involving LaHue that was part of the file from the 2021 League investigation.. One player said that the observed closeness between Holly and the staff member created a crazy, weird power dynamic," where the staff member was given improper decision-making authority over issues like nutrition. Players also described how Riley hosted a multi-day social retreat at his house on Long Island, during which players stayed together in barracks-style quarters-on numerous twin beds-in Riley's attic. A third player felt that Whisler knew "Dames [had] a 'dark side," but that Whisler "believe[d] 'that's what [made] him a great coach."" She said he told her, "Let's meet and talk," and, "If you're up really late, you can come talk to me." While some clubs have provided anti-harassment training to staff and players, the NWSL should develop and implement mandatory, uniform NWSL-wide trainings that address topics related to the Anti-Harassment Policy and that provide concrete examples of appropriate and inappropriate conduct. From these conversations, the Courage said it understood that an investigation into Riley had been conducted and that Riley had exhibited poor judgment," the same language used in the Thorns's 2015 investigative report to describe Riley's conduct. As one player described, Riley made it seem like "he had a direct line" to the USWNT head coach, and so as a player "you were willing to do everything he said to get you there." Sky Blue and NJ/NY Gotham This Report does not identify individuals if doing so would create an unjustifiable risk of revealing a player's or reporter's identity when that player or reporter did not give the Joint Investigative Team consent to be named in this Report, or if the Joint Investigative Team was unable to corroborate the conduct at issue. The NWSL ran its standard background check, and its resulting report contained no significant adverse findings. NWSL bans former Gotham FC coach for life, suspends former GM in wake The NonFraternization Policy should also clarify that any sexual or romantic relationship between When interviewed by the Joint Investigative Team, Levine deflected criticism of the NWSL's failure to act in response to these complaints onto the players themselves. To be eligible for future employment in the NWSL, Cromwell and Greene must participate in mandatory training regarding retaliation, discrimination, harassment, and bullying, and must participate in mandatory executive coaching. In December 2021, the Joint Investigative Team received a complaint about Clarkson and began an investigation. Behavior A club staff member said the relationship made players feel that they did not have anyone to talk to or anyone to trust." According to Novo, after his conversation with ownership, he met with Holly and told him it was "time to move on." Furthermore, comments made by individuals at the Thorns were favorable to Riley and had the effect of indicating to the Courage and the Flash that Riley had not engaged in misconduct while at the Thorns. 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. Since then, the lineup of clubs has undergone various changes. USWNT and Portland Thorns' Becky Sauerbrunn speaks out after findings of systemic abuse across women's soccer in the Yates report. This prevented the Joint Investigative Team from timely gathering documents and information relevant to the investigation, and substantially delayed important parts of this investigation. A player expressed a similar concern, saying that she felt Holly made "decisions that weren't in the best interest of the team" because of his relationship. Another player echoed this sentiment, saying, There are relationships in the League between player and coach, and there have been for a long time. Romantic relationships between players and staff members pose several potential problems, including (i) the power It further stated that any employee "who believes they have been subject to or witnessed illegal discrimination, including sexual or other forms of unlawful harassment, is requested and enco couraged to make a complaint." Hendrix also said that reporting to the NWSL did not seem like an option, and that she and Simon were afraid that because they were not highprofile players, their word would not be valued and weighted as much as Holly's. Club staff should be advised to elevate to the NWSL not only formal complaints and reports of misconduct they receive, but also any observed misconduct or alleged misconduct of which they otherwise become aware. Riley stepped away to use the restroom, and Farrelly and Shim discussed leaving. 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. Burke told the Joint Investigative Team that he was a demanding" coach and acknowledged that he could be "profane" at times, but he adamantly denied that his behavior was abusive toward players. Predmore said he did not know about Benstiti's weight-shaming before deciding to hire Benstiti and remarked that "by the time it came out[,] Farid had signed his contract." Start your FREE, 7-day trial of The Equalizer Extra for industry-leading reporting and insight on the USWNT, NWSL and beyond. Another player said that "it was clear [Holly] was not in an emotional place" to coach in 2017. Players at a number of clubs reported that staff members engaged in unprofessional communications with them. Another player reported to the Joint Investigative Team that she was traded from the Red Stars shortly after she raised a complaint to the NWSL about Dames; the player expressed concern that her complaint played a role in her departure from the team. On another club, a staff member observed that when new players joined the team, the head coach would comment on their sexual orientation. Hendrix also attended the meeting. When Simon arrived at Holly's house, Pearce Rampone was not there. 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. Kurtz reported that Riley shared details of his sex life and asked her probing questions about her relationship. The process through which coaches and other club staff are hired has varied, and some coaches hired by clubs have faced previous allegations of misconduct that were not discovered or explored as part of a background or reputational check. The revised policy should state that waiving players, trading players, or buying out players' contracts could be retaliatory and a violation of the policy if a motivating factor for the player transaction is the player's engagement in a Protected Activity. Reflecting on the prevalence of player-staff relationships, one player asked, "Has the policy changed? Simon said she was nervous when she learned he would be an assistant coach at the camp, because she knew he would try to get her to go into his hotel room. Even where clubs did conduct background checks, the checks were in many cases narrow and limited to reviewing only a candidate's criminal history. NWSL bans Paul Riley Richie Burke Christy Holly Rory Dames I had no avenue to communicate with the League, or whatever that even meant. Eventually, she reported the staff member to her coach because she felt that the staff member was "crossing the line and making [her] uncomfortable." It looks like I'm going to have to do that again." WNBA, NWSL are leagues on the rise - New York Daily News The documents should be kept confidential and shared only with individuals who need them to investigate and make determinations regarding investigation outcomes and discipline. One of these players reported that Dames's late-night texts on subjects unrelated to soccer felt "inappropriate." A GM actively pursuing a relationship with a player is not the same as an athletic trainer who was already married to a player joining the team. Kurtz also reported in this meeting that Riley made "sexual comments to her and criticized her weight, including by calling her "chubby." Another Spirit player recalled Burke "screaming" at a player, "You don't ever fucking call a coach before a game, after the player asked for feedback on her performance two days before a game. A. When interviewed by the Joint Investigative Team, Whisler acknowledged that he received the survey comments in 2014, but said that these comments reflected only the USWNT players' views on Dames and he was aware that at least one USWNT Red Stars player-Christen Press-did not want to be on the team. Where necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation, the Joint Investigative Team recommended temporary suspensions of certain individuals pending the conclusion of the Joint Investigative Team's review. He said that he did not believe Kurtz was saying that she could not play for Riley, and did not believe that Kurtz was upset or emotional during the call. Two players described Dames's mood shifts as "a cycle of abuse." Under the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, the League "prohibits reprisal or retaliation against anyone for engaging in the following Protected Activity: filing a good faith report under this Policy; supporting or assisting, in good faith, someone else in pursuing a report or in an investigation; objecting to misconduct; or filing, testifying, assisting or participating in any manner in any investigation, proceeding or hearing conducted by a governmental enforcement agency."

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