He told the player that the club had provided Benstiti the opportunity to resign as "the most immediate and least risky path" to removing him from the club. Kurtz added that after reading last year about Riley's past sexual misconduct, she realized that the coach was "grooming" her with similar patterns of behavior. We discussed them at length in his interview." 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. Predmore responded that the club's "primary objective was "to remove [Benstiti] from the role as quickly as possible" and the question of resignation or termination was an important, but secondary concern." 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. The announcement finally came on July 16, about a termination that happened on July 9. The player reported that when her teammate had approached the owner about mistreatment by Burke, Baldwin "did nothing about it." The NWSL should implement a responsible drinking policy stating that excessive consumption of alcohol at NWSL or club events, including during travel for games, is not tolerated and will result in disciplinary action. . Unwanted Sexual Advances Toward Players As a result, when Racing Louisville hired Holly in 2020, individuals they spoke with at Sky Blue and the NWSL lacked the information necessary to provide a complete answer about Holly's departure from Sky Blue. To the extent possible, and where appropriate, the NWSL should share with players the outcome of any investigation that finds a violation of the Anti-Harassment Policy against players by club personnel. 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 report, however, acknowledges that "a majority of players expressed the view that Clarkson's treatment of players did not rise to the level of abuse or misconduct. For instance, Garcia was told of Riley's close relationship with Farrelly and his negative, potentially homophobic commentary about Farrelly's relationship with another player on the team. 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. Although Racing Louisville spoke to both Temares and Smoot about Holly, both Temares and Smoot only recalled discussing that Holly's departure related to his alleged relationship with Pearce Rampone. Alyse is the General Manager for Sky Blue FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Some players reported that Clarkson's unpredictable mood contributed to a culture of anxiety. 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. 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. One former player recalled that her college goalkeeper coach and assistant coach were both married to former players. For example, one player recalled reaching out to an owner regarding a housing stipend that clubs could provide to players. Simon said she thought the film sessions were in preparation for playing at Racing Louisville. Some types of misconduct against players, including certain instances of sexual abuse and manipulation, have already been widely reported. "The club has a tremendous history and close relationship with its fans, so it was important we listened and remained completely openminded throughout the process. The club policies also failed to address NWSL reporting requirements. Red Stars co-owner and ESPN personality Sarah Spain and Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue were both reportedly fined Wednesday for tweeting about the investigation. When the Thorns's investigation was complete, Lisa Levine forwarded to Plush the email from the Thorns's counsel containing the determination that the 2015 investigation revealed no unlawful harassment." Dames joined the Red Stars in 2011 as a volunteer coach, when the club was part of the semi-professional Women's Premier Soccer League ("WPSL). When interviewed by the Joint Investigative Team, Burke admitted making these comments but did not acknowledge their offensiveness. 3. A player on another team recalled that after her coach physically "stormed" after a player to make an example of her mistake to the rest of the team, that player "shut down . Spirit players reported that Burke also used the full N-word in recounting past racism against a family member; asked players if he should sing the "Black version" or "white version" of "Happy Birthday"; and joked, to a player wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt and who had a black eye, that "black eyes matter." Two weeks later, an NWSL employee raised a concern she had heard from U.S. Soccer employees that the potential hire was "worse than Rory Dames in terms of belittling players" in youth soccer. 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." The League added seven expansion teams, and four teams were rebranded or relocated. A third player reported that Riley called players "fucking idiots" while at the Courage, and another player recalled Riley calling an injured player "the clumsiest fucking player I've ever coached." In addition to background checks, the NWSL should conduct reference checks for all prospective owners, coachesincluding volunteer coachesand club staff who may interact with players. Another NWSL employee expressed concern that criminal background checks are insufficient: "None of the issues we had last year with our coaches would have been discovered unless a reputation check had been conducted before they were hired. At the U.S. national team level she totaled 132 caps and 30 goals, won an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and 2012, a World Cup title in 2015, and a CONCACAF Women's Championship in 2014. When one player opened the door, she told Harrington that she and her roommate did not want to go back out for drinks. Riley declined to respond to requests to participate in this investigation. Former Utah Royals head coach Craig Harrington and former Gotham GM Alyse LaHue drew two-year bans, with further conditions on subsequent NWSL employment. Though the club did not provide a reason for Benstiti's resignation at the time, The Washington Post reported later that year that Benstiti had made inappropriate comments to players regarding their fitness and nutrition." Like many institutions, the League has been influenced by sexism, racism, homophobia, and other biases. Background checks and reputational vetting of player-facing club employees were not mandatory for much of the NWSL's existence. He stated that the non-disparagement clause was mutual, in that it required that the club not disparage Holly. The Joint Investigative Team reported to an Oversight Committee comprised of two representatives selected by the NWSLPA, Meghann Burke (Executive Director, NWSLPA) and Terri Jackson (Executive Director, Women's National Basketball Players Association); two representatives selected by the NWSL, Jessica Berman (Commissioner, NWSL) and Djenaba Parker (General Counsel and Chief People Officer, Goop, Inc., and former General Counsel, New York Red Bulls); and one independent member, former United States District Judge Barbara S. Jones (Partner, Bracewell LLP). Alex Morgan calls out former NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird for her failure to address allegations against Paul Riley in this bonus footage from E60: Truth Be Told, available now on ESPN+. Remind Players, Staff, and Volunteers of Reporting Channels Available to Report Misconduct 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. Ms. LaHue has sat for approximately seventeen (17) hours of interviews and continually requested access to materials related to her case.. After the HR employee sent this response, Levine informed the employee that Baird would respond directly to Farrelly, which the employee communicated to Farrelly. The Joint Investigative Team created an email address and phone number for individuals to confidentially provide information. On another club, a staff member observed that when new players joined the team, the head coach would comment on their sexual orientation. Following the 2015 Thorns Investigation, Farrelly saw one of her fears coming true; within less than a month after Paulson and Wilkinson received the report detailing Farrelly's account to the Thorns's investigator, Wilkinson informed Farrelly she was being traded. Accordingly, she cooperated in the first, second, and third investigations into alleged conduct from April 2020 reported in June 2021. B. Awesome! To ensure DEI initiatives are prioritized and effective at creating a more inclusive environment for all players and staff, the NWSL should consider creating a Diversity Advisory Committee dedicated to making DEI improvements within the League. 42, Wahlke. One player said that "everything" players told Pearce Rampone "went back to" Holly. Consider Creating an Alternative Complaint Resolution Program Observations and Findings Club anti-harassment policies generally provided reporting channels for employees who believe they were subjected to or witnessed discrimination or harassment; however, none of these policies listed the NWSL HR Office as a reporting channel. e) Fear of Retaliation Over time, players' lack of trust in Holly led to a divide between Holly, Pearce Rampone, and the majority of the team. 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. Following the conclusion of the USSF Investigation, the Joint Investigative Team reviewed the Report of the Independent Investigation to the U.S. Soccer Federation Concerning Allegations of Abusive Behavior and Sexual Misconduct in Women's Professional Soccer (the "USSF Report"). The NWSL periodically distributed annual player surveys seeking feedback from players about a variety of topics. Players recounted that he told one player he would have sex with her. NWSL staff, players, and club staff are required to then take three 30-minute annual refresher courses. If you don't like it, then there's never going to be a league." 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. 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. The larger point is that if the environment at [the Red Stars] was different, and were perceived as one of mutual respect and professionalism, these issues would likely not be issues." The Joint Investigative Team reached out to approximately 780 current and former NWSL players regarding the investigation. In addition, the Joint Investigative Team reviewed materials from the short-lived NWSL investigation and spoke to individuals involved with that investigation. The NWSLPA continues to advocate for player safety and amplify players' voices regarding opportunities for change and improvement in the League. The Thorns's counsel's unexplained conclusion was consistent with what was communicated to Shim and Riley. The same player said that at another club, she saw players go to dinner with the coach all the time. A former player recalled that Dames would hang out with some players more often than others." Many players told the Joint Investigative Team that they defaulted to viewing the NWSLPA as the most trustworthy channel to receive and respond to player complaints. Some players reported feeling that the incident left them feeling attacked, scared, and on edge. She also stated that Benstiti "was always commenting on food and women and their weight. Paulson's and Wilkinson's accounts of the information shared with the Flash are inconsistent with a document the Flash prepared for the Joint Investigative Team's review summarizing the club's vetting and hiring of Riley. . 57, older, all of his friends would want to sleep over at her house-which the player understood as an insinuation about her attractiveness. Things actually can be spoken up about, be brought to light." Formation and Mandate of the Joint Investigative Team Despite having this information, Duffy did not express any concerns about Riley to the Courage, Riley's employer at the time. For instance, when the Flash were vetting Riley, Wilkinson told the Flash that Riley was a good coach if not for the reason he had been terminated. While the report summary downplayed players' concerns in spite of the evidence, it credited Dames's and Whisler's explanations of events without further scrutiny. 7. One player recalled that the men's team was allowed to train on better practice fields, and the women were asked to train on inferior fields despite the availability of better fields near where the men practiced, apparently because the men's team found it distracting to practice near the women. After she told Holly not to touch her, Simon felt Holly was harsher to her on the field: yelling at her frequently, taking her out of games regardless of her performance, and refusing to shake her hand when she came off the field, but shaking other players' hands. In 2019, when Riley was under consideration for the USWNT head coach position, Wahlke received a copy of the Thorns's 2015 investigative report regarding Riley, and she participated in discussions regarding his suitability for the position. Kurtz also said Riley called her fat and told her to lose a significant amount of weight within ten days. In describing that meeting, Estes said that "the ultimate corroboration came from Christy Holly." 5. Paulson told the Joint Investigative Team that he had recalled that Golub received a call from Lines during which they discussed the allegations against Riley, but Paulson no longer believes that call occurred because Golub and others have told him it did not. In March 2021, a group of 240 NWSL players signed a letter to Commissioner Lisa Baird urging the NWSL to adopt an anti-harassment policy. 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. The staff member also said they brought up Horan's negative experience with Benstiti to Predmore in late December 2019 or early January 2020. 3. By allowing Riley to continue coaching in the NWSL, the League conveyed its continuing implicit approval of him, despite the information Plush received and the concerns that he expressed to others. Players and club staff also described observing or learning of derogatory comments, negative stereotyping, and jokes about race and ethnicity by several other club coaches and leaders. While much of the sexual misconduct she described took place when Simon and Holly were alone, Simon confided in her friend and teammate, Brooke Hendrix, who spoke to the Joint Investigative Team and shared what Simon told her about some of Holly's abuse as it was occurring. In December 2021, the Joint Investigative Team received a complaint about Clarkson and began an investigation. . The Joint Investigative Team found no support for this conclusion, and the Thorns continue to assert attorney-client privilege over the advice they claim they received on this point. For example, while Whisler told the Joint Investigative Team that he had not uncovered any red flags regarding Dames before his hire, two players expressed that concerns about Dames were known in the soccer community. However, there have historically been no established processes at the NWSL for sharing information about misconduct on any level. 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. In a news conference after the reports release, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said that neither she nor NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke had prior approval of the report before it was published. In 2019, several media outlets, including Yahoo! These background checks include education verification, employment verification, political exposure checks, and reviews of criminal and sex offender records, SafeSport records, civil litigation records, liens and judgments, bankruptcy records, and social media. Hendrix said she believed that Holly may have retaliated by taking her off the starting roster. Both a staff member and players expressed that they believed Whisler "knew about [Dames's] emotional and verbal abuse towards players" but took no action. F. F. This incident was corroborated by both players and staff members. 116, 3. On July 2, 2021, OL Reign announced that Head Coach Farid Benstiti had resigned. Levine suggested in a February 2016 email that she would prepare letters to Riley and to the owner of the Flash reminding them that coaches must remain professional, but the Joint Investigative Team did not find evidence that any such letters were written or sent. Reflecting on the prevalence of player-staff relationships, one player asked, "Has the policy changed? 100, other inappropriate sexual conduct at Shim, including attempting to be alone with Shim, and opening his hotel room door in his underwear and asking Shim to get on his bed. Harrington denied each of these reports, but the Joint Investigative Team did not find his denials to be credible when viewed against the accounts of multiple other witnesses. Cone said she informed others at U.S. Soccer about this call, and she called Malik to ensure Courage players were safe. The complainant explained that one night, Riley told two players that the team would not have to do fitness drills if they kissed. 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.
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