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A player recalled that she and her teammates were not sure whether to provide negative feedback about coaches in anonymous player surveys because they were doubtful that their comments would be taken seriously. When one person holds both coaching roles and general manager roles, players have fewer avenues to report misconduct and may fear that reporting misconduct will lead to retaliation. 59, said that the staff member allowed the player "to get things reimbursed that didn't qualify" for reimbursement. In mid-August 2021, Starr told the NWSL volunteer chaplain coordinator that a player shared that Holly had touched her inappropriately, though Starr did not share Simon's name. 2. Under the language of the policy, the question in evaluating conduct is whether it has the potential to cause emotional harm for a similarly situated player, and not whether the target of the conduct in fact experienced such harm or whether the emotional harm was specifically intended. Players were frequently reminded of the fragility and financial instability of the League. In August 2019, with the U.S. Soccer investigation ongoing, Dames texted Whisler that he had to "toe[] the proper line to not set off nonsense, and he felt this approach had made players "complacent." Shim said that particularly after that night, she was scared and feared Riley could physically try to restrain her or try to have sex with her. At the time of LaHues firing, limited information was provided to the public. Some players of color reported they did not feel they could report racially insensitive and offensive conduct. if you don't want it, get a regular job. In one case, a member of club leadership, while following up on younger players' complaints of staff mistreatment, was told by more seasoned players that the younger players were "entitled" and did not appreciate, for example, that the club provided them meals at the training facility. The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy clarifies that it applies to all "NWSL Personnel," which includes "certain individuals and entities not employed by NWSL," including team owners, team personnel, and team medical staff. Although the 16-month investigation found that Dames yelled excessively, targeted players, and behaved erratically, as a When reflecting on his jokes related to Jewish people, Burke said that he did not know there had been Jewish people on the team. Things actually can be spoken up about, be brought to light." He became condescending toward her and made jokes about "ripping [her] contract up." Per Paulson, he could not recall during their phone conversation how the Thorns had publicly announced the termination, so he followed up with the text message, which he said was relaying the public announcement. As noted, several current and former U.S. Soccer employees told the Joint Investigative Team that Riley was never seriously considered for the USWNT coaching position. As then-Racing Louisville player Jorian Baucom discussed publicly on Twitter, Racing Louisville publicly confused her and another Black player in a social media post, something club staff had done with respect to these two players on numerous prior occasions. Craig Harrington, the former Utah Royals F.C. For example, the interviews of Shim and Farrelly were conducted at the Thorns's stadium-rather than a neutral locationwhere Shim and Farrelly may have been seen by club personnel or other players. Alyse LaHue (@alahue) September 23, 2019 So as much as LaHue has enjoyed coming into Manhattan for the AdWeek panel and then hanging around to talk about the upcoming game (and maybe. This league, eventually named the National Women's Soccer League, began play in April 2013. Many players, team and league staff, and team owners were not given the completed report before it was made public. At the other end of the spectrum, another club "leaned on the League to run the background checks" or, in the case of its head coach, "did not do that vetting because in the soccer community, [the coach] was such a public and well-known figure." In this video I discussing the details surrounding why former head coach and manager, Alyse LaHue, was fired from Gotham FC.SourceNWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investiga. Holly declined requests to be interviewed in this investigation. Lack of Confidence in League Responses to Misconduct Complaints When confronted by the team's captains about his response, Clarkson said that the players "should be scared.". The NWSL also announced plans to launch a new position dedicated to player safety. It was mean." The Committee could be comprised of League staff, club staff, club owners, and players. The NWSL should also develop standards for evaluating an applicant's fitness for the position based on the results of reputational checks. Lisa Baird (NWSL, Commissioner, 2020-2021) 15, "manipulative" and noted that Holly stopped building her up and "became a monster" after she began a relationship with someone. Although the separation agreement included a specific carve-out to the non-disparagement provision allowing the club to share information about Dames with current players, club staff, and club ownership in connection with the organizational climate review, the agreement included no such exception for the NWSL and NWSLPA Joint Investigation. The Thorns terminated Riley in September 2015, though his contract was set to end in December of that year. 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.' Players at the Dash reported that they had heard that the club had hired an HR representative in 2021, but that players did not have much contact with her. The 2015 Thorns Investigation into Riley was mishandled, and the Thorns, U.S. Soccer and the NWSL consistently failed to treat the allegations and findings against Riley seriously and to be transparent about them. Gulati told the Joint Investigative Team that he believed he read the player survey results, but he did not recall being aware of 2014 player comments that indicated Riley was verbally abusive. In other instances, clubs transitioned coaches accused of misconduct to front office roles instead of terminating their employment. The report found that Riley had (i) violated instructions by Wilkinson not to socialize with players "when alcohol was involved; (ii) engaged in inappropriate and unprofessional behavior and exercised poor judgment by sending inappropriate text messages, not establishing and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, inviting players to his apartment, serving alcohol to players, dancing with a player and touching her while doing so, inviting a player to his hotel room, having one-on-one dinners (and involving alcohol), having one-on-one game film sessions in his apartment, and failing to notify his supervisor of the July 5 email; and (iii) likely violated his employment contract by doing so. She claimed that players had called themselves "bulky." Some players recalled that a former assistant coach, while at a club-sponsored party where he was drinking heavily, made sexually explicit remarks to players. When asked whether he ever referred to players as "morons," Burke told the Joint Investigative Team he could not recall ever calling a player a "moron" directly, but that he may have said to players, "Don't be a moron." And thorough vetting, including a reputational check, is time-intensive and expensive. At first, she thought the offers were "nice" because she did not "know what the boundaries [were]." In a text message to Whisler on June 13, 2018, Dames asked about waiving the player who he suspected had raised the complaint. During his interview with the Joint Investigative Team, Harrington described the incident differently: Harrington said he was at the hotel when one of the players either messaged or called him to ask for help taking an intoxicated player to her hotel room, which he claimed he did. The NWSL should store all documents, including a written record of the investigation, in a central location. Although U.S. Soccer told Duffy and Levine that U.S. Soccer's outside counsel would investigate the reports, and Duffy said she received one or two updates about the investigation, there is no evidence that Duffy requested additional updates regarding the investigation or its outcome. Within a few months, investors had spent what was originally expected to sustain the league for three to five years. Both players and club staff reported being unsure what conduct violates the Anti-Harassment Policy and what is required under that policy. Riley told Shim to delete his text messages because Shim was living with her then-partner, and Shim complied. One player recalled Riley repeatedly calling a teammate that he considered chubby "Chips" in front of the entire team. "This process is the culmination of a wide-ranging collaboration among our fans, players, front office, and owners" said General Manager Alyse LaHue. The National Women's Soccer League and NWSL Players' Association have published their joint investigation into abuse allegations across the league. 70, Multiple players described an incident in which Clarkson was "out of line" and created a culture of fear and anxiety. Notably, investigators for the NWSL and NWSLPA also cite U.S. Soccer as an entity that delayed the investigation. Many players across the NWSL said they did not know how to elevate concerns about club staff, including coaches, within their clubs or to the NWSL. On October 11, 2022, Paulson further stated that he was removing himself as CEO of the Thorns and the Portland Timbers, and was announcing a search for a permanent CEO. Craig Harrington: The former Utah Royals coach is reported to have. The club did not contact Novo as part of its vetting process, even though Novo was the person most knowledgeable about the circumstances of Holly's departure. Instead, it should require clubs to notify and provide relevant factual information to the NWSL when a club terminates the employment of any staff member, regardless of job title, or takes other disciplinary action due to misconduct. 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. Many of the coaches and individuals who engaged in misconduct and who are discussed in this Report were not appropriately vetted by their clubs. The report did not make any recommendations, noting instead that recommended actions for the Thorns to take would be determined by Paulson and Wilkinson. 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. The club did not take steps to determine if Riley's conduct extended beyond an isolated comment or to other players. Another player recalled Holly unexpectedly screaming at a teammate that her poor performance during a practice drill would "prevent [her] from being on the national team, and later in the season asking her to do one-on-one film sessions with him, saying, "I can help you get onto the national team." For instance, the Courage credibly recounted that the club was only informed that players went to Riley's apartment after drinking with Riley in a nearby bar, and that someone stated that Riley had suggested they kiss. The announcement did not specify that the "cause" was sexual misconduct. Despite this documentary evidence, Baird told ESPN, in an interview for a documentary that aired in October 2022, that the October 2021 Athletic article was the first she ever heard of accusations of sexual abuse by Riley. 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. sometimes things trickled up." 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. ", Investigators for the NWSL/NWSLPA report say they reached out to approximately 780 current and former NWSL players regarding the investigation; about 150 were eventually asked to share their experiences. 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. However, four of the nine players interviewed had raised concerns that Dames made inappropriate remarks about players' appearances, and two players provided specific examples of those comments. 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. But some players and club staff described that Clarkson seemed to defend stadium security, and players and club staff expressed disappointment at Clarkson's and the club's failure to attempt to understand the Black players' perspective. Benstiti was the head coach of PSG from 2012 to 2016. Instead of addressing players' concerns, Whisler repeatedly downplayed them and protected Dames throughout his tenure. Multiple players reported hearing that Williams referred to this player, a leader in the locker room, as "toxic." The club then released a statement that did not disclose the reason for Benstiti's departure. Wilkinson said that on advice of counsel for the Thorns, he did not discuss the reason for Riley's termination and did not tell Lines about the allegations against Riley. Multiple club staff reported that on an away trip, Holly sat at an airport gate with Pearce Rampone, while the rest of the team sat together at a different gate. The NWSL's Non-Fraternization Policy, adopted in 2018, states: "No person in management or a supervisory position with a Team or the League shall have a romantic or dating relationship with a League or team employee whom he or she directly supervises or whose terms or conditions of employment he or she may influence." E. After participating in an initial interview with the Joint Investigative Team, LaHue, through her counsel, canceled another scheduled interview and declined the Joint Investigative Team's repeated requests to reschedule. NEWARK, NJ - After years of bad press, Phil Murphy's Sky Blue soccer team was. Cromwell and Greene also expressed a desire to remove these players from the team. Unwanted Sexual Advances Toward Players A member of Ultimately, WPS terminated magicJack's franchise rights in October 2011. In fact, for much of the NWSLs existence, background checks on coaches and player-facing staff were not required. Institutions meant to investigate and address misconduct failed to do so effectively. 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. Rutgers has been a great partner to us . "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. However, the Joint Investigative Team found no evidence that the letters were written or sent. Since the training in 2019, the NWSL has not offered a League-wide antiharassment training. B. Lisa Baird did not investigate the 2021 complaints against Riley, which contained information that should have led Baird to inquire further. In spite of this, the evidence shows that neither club that subsequently hired Riley was given a full understanding of the extent of Shim's allegations and the full investigative findings against Riley. Rather, she said the focus of the interview was on assessing the truth of Shim's allegations and determining whether Farrelly had told anyone about the incident. WUSA enjoyed initial success, with all-star lineups, television exposure, and high attendance at games. Shim recalled being uncomfortable" that someone she knew might see her being interviewed. Another player similarly reported that Holly stopped playing her after she raised concerns about his behavior to an assistant coach. On October 29, 2021, following extensive negotiations, the NWSL and NWSLPA announced that in lieu of separate, standalone investigations, the two entities would conduct a joint investigation into workplace misconduct toward NWSL players and systemic issues in the League that impact the detection, handling, and prevention of misconduct. Lisa Levine (U.S. Soccer, General Counsel, 2009-2017; NWSL, General Counsel, 2017-2021) Williams reported that he had a good relationship with this player during the season. . Many players and staff admitted that they struggled to identify the line between emotional misconduct and tough coaching." Former Utah Royals head coach Craig Harrington and former Gotham GM Alyse LaHue drew two-year bans, with further conditions on subsequent NWSL employment. [we] use the [NWSLPA] as a voice or shield to speak to the executives at the club. Another player said that "it was clear [Holly] was not in an emotional place" to coach in 2017. And while the coaches offered some purported legitimate, non-retaliatory Develop and Implement Trainings That Reflect and Address Player and Staff Experiences The report summary further included the finding that [w]hile a few players described their belief that Dames inappropriately shares personal information they all appeared to be referring to the [same] incident." Both Gulati and U.S. Soccer CEO Dan Flynn received the NWSL player survey results from 2014, which included information about potential misconduct by both Riley and Dames. 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. Paulson told the Joint Investigative Team that Garcia and an attorney presented the report to Thorns leadership. As another example, the summary stated, "Several players described Dames using personal information against players, in those words, but struggled to articulate what they meant by this allegation and to provide specific examples. Players expressed concerns that Whisler was loyal to Dames and justified Dames's behavior even when players brought concerns directly to Whisler. It then describes the Joint Investigative Team's observations and findings based on specific incidents and evidence obtained during the investigation, and summarizes findings of misconduct relating to key individuals and entities. The League should request mutual cooperation and informationsharing from U.S. Soccer and other organizations to ensure the League is made aware of findings of misconduct concerning candidates seeking employment in the NWSL. The Flash were not fully informed of the allegations or investigative findings against Riley, and they received a favorable assessment of Riley from Wilkinson. For the player, the offer "was weird" and not appropriate." 1. The article further reported that in 2021, Shim and Farrelly asked the NWSL to reopen the investigation into Riley, but that then-Commissioner Lisa Baird declined to investigate further. 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. U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and Clubs Failed to Adequately Share Information Regarding Misconduct It's not just this coach. Investigators said after interviews that Burke did not acknowledge the offensiveness of his behaviors with the Washington Spirit, and that Clarkson "exhibited a lack of candor Clarkson denied ever raising his voice at players or losing control of his emotions, notwithstanding credible evidence to the contrary." In May 2018, U.S. Soccer's investigator spoke to Press regarding her complaint that Dames "verbally and emotionally abuse[d] . Likewise, a current general manager expressed that background checks "only catch[] so much" and explained that for this reason, her club also relied on input from players when hiring. . Only two clubs' employee handbooks-the Spirit's and Gotham's-referenced the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy. Another player recalled hearing about and witnessing the same behavior. She pushed his hands away, crossed her legs, and turned away from him, but Holly told her to lighten up" and have fun. Hendrix said Simon told her about this incident right after it happened, and she recalled Simon crying. The NWSL should consider avenues to create a formal partnership with the Black Women's Player Collective to hear and address the Collective's concerns and improve the NWSL experience for Black players. 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. Burke also discouraged player activism for racial equity. Jeff Plush received Shim's September 2015 complaint alleging sexual misconduct by Paul Riley, and he then forwarded the complaint to individuals at U.S. Soccer and discussed it with Merritt Paulson and Gavin Wilkinson. Simon first met Holly in 2016. LaHue was appointed as general manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC (formerly Sky Blue FC) in September 2019, and has been credited with playing a major role in turning the club around, both on and off the . Additionally, Wahlke told the Joint Investigative Team that around this time, she learned from Becca Roux, Executive Director of the USWNTPA, that the USWNTPA would not support Riley's candidacy for this position. . 7. Despite receiving updates on the investigation, U.S. Soccer failed to follow up on evidence that suggested Riley may have had a more extensive relationship with Farrelly. He often invited certain players to have lunch or dinner with him, taking one small group of players out to dinner on a regular basis. Documents Collected and Reviewed Garcia was relatively inexperienced in conducting sensitive investigations. As detailed below, the Joint Investigative Team found widespread misconduct directed at NWSL players. Simon recalled being excited to play for Racing Louisville but also "terrified" because of Holly's past behavior toward her. The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy provides that emotional misconduct may include "belittling players about their body image or 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. Four days after that, Equalizer Soccer reported the anti-harassment detail. They used derogatory and insulting language towards players, displayed insensitivity towards players' mental health, and engaged in retaliation against players who attempted to report or did report concerns. Press had first shared concerns about Dames in a September 9, 2014, meeting of USWNT representatives from the NWSL. Although U.S. Soccer and League leadership at various points discussed and explored the creation of conduct policies, none were ever adopted or implemented. That news followed a report from Meg Linehan of The Athletic on Thursday that Paul Riley, who was fired by the North Carolina Courage, had inappropriate sexual relationships with players and made. For much of the NWSL's history, the NWSL and many of its clubs did not employ any designated HR staff. These inappropriate sexual remarks included inquiries and remarks about players' sexual orientation and dating lives, and remarks about players' appearances and attractiveness. Flynn clarified that while he was copied on "several emails that relate to the results of those surveys," he did not recall ever personally reviewing them. While Simon's parents gave Pearce Rampone a tour of the home, Holly grabbed Simon's buttocks and felt her over her leggings. Players also drew a connection between coaches who engaged in abusive behavior and coaches who, in the players' view, relished the feeling of having power over their players. However, the report ultimately determined, "The only result that is clearly called for by this external review is the establishment of standards for conduct by NWSL coaches and education on those standards, to resolve any uncertainty going forward." Gulati recalled this email and stated, "I don't know what else we can do when [Whisler] doesn't accept the coach's resignation." Riley publicly withdrew his name from consideration for the position on August 20, 2019. According to the report, Gotham was one of two clubs in the league that even references the NWSL Anti-Harassment policy in their policies, stating that the club will also adhere to the National Womens Soccer Leagues Anti-Harassment Policy. However, Gothams own anti-harassment policy contained a provision stating that employees who witness offensive behavior in the workplace whether directed at them or another employee are encouraged, though not required, to immediately address it with the employee whose behavior they found offensive. The report states that this provision puts an unfair burden on employees experiencing misconduct by suggesting they should confront the employee engaging in the misconduct. U.S. Soccer Chief Legal Officer Lydia Wahlke directed the USSF Dames Investigation, asking the NWSL to stand down even though she believed U.S. Soccer did not have the authority to take action against Dames. If misconduct under the Anti-Harassment Policy is revealed as part of the Alternative Complaint Resolution program process, the misconduct should be reported promptly to the NWSL HR Office and/or the NWSL General Counsel. Multiple individuals emphasized the critical insight that can be gained by speaking with persons knowledgeable about the candidate and expressed the view that background checks alone are unable to detect every potentially problematic issue. 66, also reported instances where clubs responded to player and fan conduct in a way that reflected insensitivity to LGBTQIA+ issues. . Provide Leadership Training to Coaches For example, as reported in The Washington Post, Dames criticized one player's communication skills by screaming at her, "If you can't even talk on the field, what kind of mother are you?" On July 8, 2021, the Club was advised that the investigation determined that Ms. LaHue violated the leagues policy on harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Riley declined to respond to requests to participate in this investigation. Harrington also made inappropriate comments about players' appearance and bodies, including wondering aloud what a player's hair looks like when she gets out of the shower, and giving disparaging nicknames to players he perceived as unattractive. In the course of this investigation, the Joint Investigative Team spoke to 47 individuals with knowledge relevant to Riley, including current and former players, key leaders including owners and general managersfrom the Thorns and the Courage, and other current and former club staff, League staff, and U.S. Soccer staff who were involved in or had information about the 2015 Thorns Investigation and Riley's subsequent hiring at the Flash and the Courage. Another player recalled other players informing her this coach was telling people that she needed to lose weight, but he never discussed it with her directly. When asked about his comment, Burke claimed that he was not making light of the incident, but rather that he was upset about it. Although the Thorns conducted an investigation in 2015 that led to Riley's termination, the Thorns publicly announced only that Riley was not being retained, with no explanation as to why. Club staff must be held to higher standards. 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. For instance, two players told the investigator they had left the Red Stars in part because of Dames's abuse. The failure to take intermediary action left players in an unsafe environment for well over a year while the investigation was ongoing. On at least one occasion, he mandated that a player "weigh in" on a daily basis and told her that she would not see the field until she hit a certain weight. Hendrix informed the Joint Investigative Team that she had subtly tried to prevent Holly from being alone with Simon. The agreement prohibited the club from disclosing Holly's sexual misconduct, including to law enforcement, unless compelled by law.

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