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Racing Louisville investigated but did not substantiate a relationship between Holly and the staff member. The Management Agreement executed between the NWSL and U.S. Soccer on December 12, 2012, established U.S. Soccer as the manager of the NWSL. 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]." WPS faced many challenges, including poor attendance, low television ratings, and declining revenue. Instead of addressing players' concerns, Whisler repeatedly downplayed them and protected Dames throughout his tenure. He used a lot of language that was inappropriate and abrasive and his coaching style in general was not Multiple witnesses reported that coaches continued their weight-shaming behavior even after being warned by players and other staff that such behavior was harmful. Captaincy chaos and Waldrum ultimatums - Will Nigeria be ready for World Cup? In addition, romantic relationships between players and staff, even when consensual, blur the lines between appropriate and inappropriate behavior, increasing the risk of misconduct. 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. The Joint Investigative Team found no evidence that Wahlke took any steps to transition management of the investigation to a successor when she left U.S. Soccer in 2020, and she does not appear to have notified anyone that she still considered the investigation open. He is quoted in the report as saying, [S]ome number of players each year wither under [Dames's] approach, don't respond well, and need to leave for their own good." 64, beliefs and goals as a player. The entire article is accessible only to members of The Equalizer Extra. Paulson said the Thorns's counsel who directed the 2015 investigation was concerned about a lawsuit against the Thorns and told the Thorns that it was the NWSL's responsibility to convey information related to the investigation to other NWSL clubs. Another player recalled either O'Connor or Estes stating that what Holly did was disgusting" and "unacceptable," and that the club would ensure this never happens again." As discussed in more detail below, Pauw also strictly controlled players' eating and workout habits. Some came from the media, and many others came from an investigation run by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates for the U.S. Soccer Federation. 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. #11, hear from Alyse LaHue, the General Manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC of the NWSL. When asked about this incident, Burke denied ever having yelled at a player who appeared to be experiencing a panic attack and explained that he always tried to make players laugh and feel comfortable before and during games. At a higher level, the joint investigation makes a greater attempt to identify and define problematic everyday behaviors like emotional abuse, at times noting that even the players they interviewed struggle to define the lines between that and "tough coaching" because many of them grew up with so much of the latter. Players also stated that Pauw commented on players' legs as being "bulky" and prohibited players from lifting weights based on her view that it would make them bulkier when she wanted players to be lean. The statement called on the NWSL to (i) open an independent investigation into the issues described by The Athletic; (ii) suspend any staff accused of violating the anti-harassment policy; and (iii) disclose how Riley was hired within the NWSL after leaving another club following an investigation into his misconduct. In the 2015 player survey, several players made negative comments about Flash Head Coach Aaran Lines. 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." Club leaders should have a plan to model and implement their commitment to player well-being, and the NWSL should vigilantly guard against leadership behavior that may discourage reporting or suggest disregard for player safety. One player who witnessed this incident described that Dames's comments that had nothing to do with actually playing soccer" were constant." c) Investigators determined that LaHue's interactions with the player constituted misconduct. As one staff member explained, there had always been a high interest and attention in this player by LaHue., The new investigation by the league and union said LaHue participated in an initial interview with the Joint Investigative Team but canceled a second scheduled interview and declined the Joint Investigative Teams repeated requests to reschedule., This was accompanied, investigators further said, by an email from LaHues lawyer calling the allegations false claims., READ MORE: U.S. Soccer promises action after Yates investigation details abuse and sexual coercion in NWSL. Through counsel, the Thorns emailed Levine a copy of the report with its attachments. He shared personal information with her, talking about his ex-wife, his relationship status, and his sex life, including describing his preferred sexual positions. An individual affiliated with the USWNTPA described former U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati as a puppeteer overseeing the League and recalled Gulati exerting authority over proposed player trades. Former USWNT General Manager Cheryl Bailey would serve as the League's executive director. Misunderstandings resulting from the way the findings were conveyed contributed to the development of substantial tension and divisiveness within the locker room. One player recalled Harrington saying, on multiple occasions in front of players, "I need to have sex with someone tonight who's not my wife." As discussed above, the USSF Dames Investigation resulted in a draft" report. As the season wore on, Riley became more demanding of Shim, and she struggled to say "no" to Riley's advances without angering him and risking retribution. Until 2017, the NWSL front office had five or fewer full-time staff members, and it did not have a dedicated HR staff member for players, who are NWSL employees, until June 2019. E. Reports of Misconduct in 2020 and 2021 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." The NWSL should also encourage players to reach out to the NWSLPA for additional support and guidance in navigating reporting misconduct. These updates were provided under a common interest agreement, which restricted Levine's ability to share what she learned in those conversations. According to Cone, Malik thanked her and expressed that he did not know what she was talking about, but that he would make sure players were safe. COVINGTON The player explained that although she repeatedly pushed back against LaHues inappropriate conduct, LaHue persisted, the investigations report said. 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.. That player requested that The Washington Post not name her in the article due to fears of retaliation. Though the club did not announce a reason for his termination, sources told The Salt Lake Tribune that Harrington "was placed on leave after players complained he was being 'verbally abusive."" Jeff Plush (NWSL, Commissioner, 2014-2017) They told O'Connor that they would really appreciate if this was kept confidential." Even following the League's adoption of an Anti-Harassment Policy, players faced inconsistent policies at the club and NWSL levels governing conduct by NWSL stakeholders. LaHue participated in an initial interview, but then cancelled a follow-up interview. The surveys also asked some open-ended questions and provided space for players to enter comments. One player recalled that there were instances where the team could see that a person was "mentally destroyed," and Dames "would just keep digging the knife in." 7. A. 4. Another player said, "There's a time and a place for a good yell." In particular, and as detailed in the findings section of this Report, the Thorns, Racing Louisville, and the Red Stars withheld key documents from the Joint Investigative Team on these grounds until late in this investigation, and after U.S. Soccer released King & Spalding's USSF Report. 12, The League revised certain terms in the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy to define different types of prohibited misconduct, and to make clear who is protected by the policy and who must comply with it. B. Another player said Dames was "hostile and sarcastic" and would "shame" her, but would not pick on the top players" or "anyone with leverage." McCall Zerboni, Gotham FCs captain and NWSL Players Association representative in 2022, is ready to move towards a place where the mistakes from the past can be turned into creating a strong future for the NWSL, a young league that is still growing. Years after both Shim and Farrelly left the Thorns, the former teammates spoke about their experiences with Riley, and Farrelly shared with Shim her own experiences with Riley's misconduct. After Benstiti's hiring, Predmore instructed Benstiti not to discuss player weight or nutrition" with players, and "specifically forbade him from talking about "anything related to food." For example, in 2018, the owner of one club learned of a relationship between a staff member and a player. 105, Soccer and the NWSL that the 2015 investigation did not reveal "unlawful harassment" but merely "poor judgment, and provided no explanation for this characterization, including how it squared with the contents of the report or the decision to fire Riley because his conduct violated multiple provisions of his employment agreement. Shim later stated, I'm just so grateful for this opportunity to get these bad people out of the League and really shine a light on this issue because it's so prevalent. .85 Expectations of Gratitude and Acquiescence In multiple instances, Clarkson failed to understand how his conduct impacted 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." 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 player, describing Riley's fixation with players' weight, stated that he was "100% the most controlling person I've ever met. Another player recalled that he deployed a strategy of "breaking down [a player's] confidence, saying she doesn't look fit," and then when he needed her, "building her confidence back up and controlling her in that way." The NWSL's current processes and requirements, while improved, can be better implemented. On October 6, 2021, NWSL teams returned to play for the first time since publication of the Athletic article. A third player reported that Pauw's presence limited players' training routines, and that she could not use the apartment complex's weight room because Pauw prohibited players from lifting weights on the belief that it would make them "bulky. According to players and staff, including Cromwell and Greene, Cromwell and Greene deliberately declined to speak with these players, adopted as wholesale negative reports of these players' behavior from other players, and refused to entertain that there was another side to the stories, even when another staff member offered to facilitate a dialogue between the coaching staff and certain players. 58, imbalance between supervisors and their reports; (ii) the threat of favoritism; and However, Wahlke recalled that she met with Whisler in person after receiving the investigative report and told Whisler that he should find "personal development opportunities and maybe anger management training" for Dames. Benstiti was the head coach of PSG from 2012 to 2016. After Holly learned that a different starting player had complained about his behavior to club leadership, he demoted her to training with reserve players. Players Lacked Clear Guidance Regarding What Constituted Misconduct .. In one instance, players said they felt confined to their hotel on their day off because Dames told them that each player would have to meet with him "within five minutes of him calling them or they would be cut from the team, but did not give them advance notice of the meeting times. These aren't criminal issues, they're behavior issues." As discussed above, after U.S. Soccer directed the League to hand over its investigation into Dames, the League was not briefed on the findings. On a third team, a player described her coach threatening players with waiver after the coach heard that those players had questioned decisions he made during training. Around August 2019, U.S. Soccer was considering Riley for the position of head coach for the USWNT, though several current and former U.S. Soccer employees stated that Riley was never in serious contention for the role. The course description states that the course trains players to [i]dentify and navigate power imbalances (including coach/athlete relationships) that can play a role in sexual misconduct, [d]efine consent and understand relevant factors including age and impairment," "[r]espond and report appropriately (and legally) to abuse and its disclosure, and [u]nderstand barriers to reporting, and factors such as retaliation." Alyse LaHue (Sky Blue and Gotham, Vice President, 20182019, General Manager, 2019-2021) At first he told her he admired her fitness and her "soccer body," but then shifted to making other comments about her body, including calling her "sexy." You're eating too much." One player recalled a specific comment Dames made about "her attractiveness." He remained with the Flash until the club was sold in 2017. In addition, Shim's complaint identified Farrelly as a target of Riley's misconduct, but Farrelly was not treated as a potential target of misconduct; her interview was brief and focused on Shim's allegations and on whether Farrelly had told anyone about them. Leaders from U.S. Soccer avoided taking responsibility for systemic failures to protect players, contending that decision-making authority and the responsibility to address misconduct lay with the NWSL and club owners. The NWSL should strictly enforce the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy's requirement that complaints or reports of potential policy violations be elevated to the NWSL within 24 hours of receipt to ensure the NWSL is equipped to investigate promptly and immediately take interim measures to protect players as needed. The NWSL began its own investigation into the player's complaint, but stopped after two days at the direction of U.S. Soccer. Also around that time, Paulson-who frequently communicated with Malik-wrote to Malik via text message: "Paul's contract was up when he left us and we didnt [sic] renew it. 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." The report, however, did not conclude that Dames's conduct "amounted to verbal and emotional abuse" or that his behavior would constitute a violation of the SafeSport Code of Conduct, if the Code applied. Although Racing Louisville's vetting of Holly was not atypical for clubs at the time, it did not go far enough in assessing his treatment of players. . 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. This information suggested that Riley might pose a danger to players, but the Courage did not take adequate steps to learn the findings of the investigation, reflecting a lack of appreciation for the power dynamics between players and coaches, and the Courage employed Riley despite knowing of this allegation. LaHue later texted the player, "I don't see us as friends." Are we going to hurt the league? The NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy can and should continue to evolve to better protect players and incorporate the learnings from player and staff experiences and feedback. On August 31, 2021, Racing Louisville announced that they had terminated Head Coach Christy Holly's contract for cause. The club provided no other explanation for Holly's abrupt departure in his first season as their head coach. The player who raised a complaint to the Courage, Kaleigh Kurtz, had joined the Courage in 2018 and was initially pleased to be playing for Riley. 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. NWSL. Revise the Anti-Harassment Policy to Define Retaliation More Clearly Wilkinson responded that the trade was "purely a player move that made sense." The latest report into allegations of abuse in American womens soccer was published on Tuesday by the National Womens Soccer League and the NWSL Players Association. In a text message to Whisler on June 13, 2018, Dames asked about waiving the player who he suspected had raised the complaint. 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." The club announced that Holly was terminated "for cause," but the announcement did not specify that the "cause" was sexual misconduct. Players were aware not only of the NWSL's uncertain future, but also of the precariousness of their own individual futures within the NWSL. 2. . Some clubs have strictly enforced a non-fraternization policy. d) Frequent Social Interactions and Controlling Players' Social Lives The evidence also reflects that Levine, after speaking with Plush about the issue, subsequently had a conversation with Novo in which she shared that Riley had been terminated from the Thorns and shared certain information related to Riley's termination, and the club did not pursue Riley. 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. Riley made sexual comments towards Kurtz, including giving her detailed accounts of his sex life on a number of occasions in what appeared to be an attempt to invite her to do the same in return; that conduct waned only when Kurtz was in a serious relationship. During this meeting with Novo, players shared that Holly had screamed at and verbally abused players. If the NWSL determines that information revealed as part of a reference check is a barrier to that applicant's hire, the NWSL should maintain that information should the applicant be considered for positions at other clubs in the future. 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. The League should consider requiring that clubs certify that they have revised their anti-harassment policies to meet the baseline requirements of the League's Anti-Harassment Policy and that they have disseminated their policies and the League's policy to all staff and players. She said he told her, "Let's meet and talk," and, "If you're up really late, you can come talk to me." The NWSL's Founding, Initial Success, and Challenges In another instance, according to the report summary, the investigator determined that "players provided very little detail about specific, inappropriate comments made by Dames about their personal appearance." Paulson said that Wahlke had spoken with Levine and that Wahlke had some knowledge about the 2015 complaint and findings, including that the investigation found no unlawful harassment. "Inattentiveness, neglect, and concealment allow misconduct to fester," the report's conclusion reads. Several Dash players expressed concerns with Clarkson serving as both coach and general manager, noting that players "[could not] talk to our general manager because he's our coach." Players recalled being confused after this meeting and not understanding exactly why Holly had been fired. The NWSL should designate a team of NWSL staff to review and analyze player survey results. USWNTPA Executive Director Becca Roux, who helped Press bring her complaint, told the Joint Investigative Team that Wahlke "called [her] and said nothing was fireable offense, but she received no factual findings from the investigation until November 2021. For at least one player, the limited size and resources of the League contributed to an impression that clubs were solely or primarily responsible for handling investigations. If there are allegations of misconduct against the staff member that are under investigation, the NWSL should work expeditiously to investigate before the staff member is hired by another club and should promptly notify that club of any finding of misconduct. In crafting this policy, the NWSL should be mindful that non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements have been used to restrict clubs from criticizing or sharing information about a departing staff member.