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Notwithstanding these discrepancies, based on the totality of evidence, including interviews and other documents, the Joint Investigative Team determined that LaHue's interactions with the player constituted misconduct. She also said she was "petrified" that Wilkinson would trade her from the Thorns because Riley had portrayed himself and Wilkinson as good friends. Sky Blue FC's Alyse LaHue And for every role model out there, and every new one made, there's another awakening. 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. Commissioner of the NWSL, detailing numerous instances of sexually inappropriate conduct by Riley during the 2015 season. The NWSL began its own investigation into the player's complaint, but stopped after two days at the direction of U.S. Soccer. 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. Beginning in March 2022, the Dash instituted a practice of sending a weekly email to players containing information about the club's HR resources in an attempt to make reporting channels more visible to players. 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." During the meeting, Holly was reportedly fidgeting and "fumbling over his words." Players and staff at Sky Blue and Racing Louisville credibly reported that Holly was verbally abusive and emotionally volatile. This lack of transparency enabled Riley to continue to coach NWSL players for another six years after he was fired from the Thorns. Through counsel, the Thorns emailed Levine a copy of the report with its attachments. OL was supportive of the decision to hire Benstiti, who had been employed as a head coach for OL from 2001-10. In addition to the lack of information at Sky Blue, NWSL personnel did not have a clear understanding of why Holly left Sky Blue. In total, the Joint Investigative Team reviewed approximately 200,000 documents. She provided a written denial of what she suspected were the allegations against her, including a statement that she has never remarked on the appearance of a player or kept track of players' weight. James Clarkson communicated with players in a manner that created anxiety and fear for multiple players. The details could go too many different directions to even speculate. When traveling for another away game, Riley asked Shim to bring him a bag of chips from downstairs in the hotel up to his room. The joint investigation details how LaHue sent inappropriate messages to a player, including some about the player being in her dreams, despite the player's request for those to stop and asking of LaHue to "accept that we are working together and nothing more." Multiple players, in public statements or in interviews with the Joint Investigative Team, reported that they experienced retaliation for reporting concerns about Dames. 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. This misconduct included sexual misconduct, inappropriate relationships with players, the blurring of professional boundaries, racially insensitive remarks, inappropriate statements about players' weight and body types and other forms of emotional misconduct, and retaliation for reporting misconduct. This player sensed that Riley "wanted to keep [her] feeling like [she] owed him and would do favors for him. A staff member recalled that during the 2020 season, a player made overnight oats for breakfast, and Benstiti told her in front of other players, "You don't need those oats. The group, including Thorp, went to Riley's apartment, though Thorp left shortly thereafter. 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. Whisler cautioned, Don't do [that] out [of] emotion. These aspects of the culture in the NWSL discouraged some players from reporting any concerns. Seven days after the investigation began, Garcia completed a final investigative report, dated September 23, 2015, which was reviewed by attorneys from the law firm retained by the Thorns. Evaluation of "[c]omprehensive policies and procedures created for the league and all member clubs to ensure moving forward that there is a systematic, transparent, and effective execution of any harassment or workplace conduct issues." One interviewee reported that some clubs that had HR departments historically [could not] use them because of the single-entity structure [of the NWSL]." A staff member at another club reported that they overheard club management commenting that another staff member "had to go" because the staff member was questioning management, and that those comments created an environment of fear of retaliation. The email included, without any explanation, a conclusion that the investigation did not reveal any "unlawful harassment." The relationship also created problems among the players. 7. 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. Gorden's boyfriend was prevented from entering an area where he could speak with her, and she said publicly that her white teammates were visiting family in the same area, but were not scrutinized. Players may also report concerns via the NWSLPA hotline, the details for which are set forth in the policy, or to any team HR department, general manager, or administrator. Several coaches routinely relied on derogatory language and name-calling to shame or criticize players. When Olympique Lyonnais became the club's majority owner in January 2020, Predmore retained his position as CEO and was primarily responsible for day-to-day club decisions. At Riley's door, she felt he expected that she would come into his room. 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. 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. 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. 10, that worsened its financial troubles. . Gulati said that he generally tells people who are considering hiring candidates to call former employers, but in this case, he was also specifically hoping that Malik would contact the Thorns. At the start of 2022, with the termination of U.S. Soccer's allocation system, the NWSLPA expanded its representation to include USWNT players competing in the NWSL. The Thorns's outside counsel told U.S. However, Dames privately complained to Whisler about the need to change his behavior. . a) Riley's Misconduct at the Portland Thorns 45, In multiple instances, the USSF Dames Report's factual summary was directly contradicted by facts provided elsewhere in the report. Craig Harrington, the former Utah Royal F.C. The NWSL should advise clubs and coaches that if a coach has legitimate health or fitness concerns about a player's weight, that coach should speak privately with the club medical staff so that the medical staff can address the concern privately with the player. A staff member for another club noted that "the whole team" lived in the same apartment building with some coaching staff. Ownership terminated Ms. LaHues employment on July 9 and stands by that decision.. 4. 4. With inconsistent anti-harassment policies between the league and various clubs and a lack of uniform training on how to identify and respond to inappropriate conduct, players lacked a clear structure in how to report. The player survey changed significantly in 2020. While the conclusion stated that Dames (i) yelled excessively; (ii) targeted players; and (iii) behaved unpredictably, it mentioned none of the other concerns about Dames. Players who preferred to remain anonymous were invited to contact the Joint Investigative Team anonymously by calling or emailing a hotline maintained by Covington. The latter is presumably for each club and, perhaps in some cases, NWSL commissioner Berman to decide. 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." He has denied all allegations against him. The Joint Investigative Team conducted a review to assess the allegations against Riley and to analyze the 2015 Thorns Investigation and the response by the Thorns, NWSL, U.S. Soccer, and other stakeholders. Farrelly felt coerced into having sexual intercourse with Riley based on the dynamic between them and his control over her soccer career. Although Clarkson advocated for the development of a mental health program at the Dash, he also demonstrated insensitivity towards players' mental health in his interactions with them. The NWSL should consider engaging with the Black Women's Player Collective and players from other historically marginalized groups to understand how microaggressions or racist, antisemitic, homophobic, and other derogatory language may manifest in the NWSL environment and how the policy may be updated to address such issues. She told Clarkson during a water break shortly after entering that she had to come off the field due to her injury. Players were "aware that this league could go under. A player on another team recalled that when her team was divided into groups, an assistant coach commented that one of the groups of players was the prettiest and most attractive group. 2. The same player noted that when players considered raising concerns, they wondered, "Are we going to ruin something? For example, in June 2021, a group of players reached out to O'Connor and asked if they could speak with him. Cromwell's and Greene's conduct fostered a fear of retaliation among certain players and staff at the Pride. I'm the Inquirer's soccer reporter, covering the Union, MLS, the NWSL, the U.S. men's and women's national teams, and Philadelphia's place in the world's game. Holly spoke with investigators for the Yates report but pulled out of a scheduled interview with the joint investigation after the release of the Yates report, which of course publicly revealed his misconduct for the first time. This reduces the risk that the concentration of power in a single individual will chill reporting of misconduct. Off the field, Dames blurred personal and professional boundaries. Clubs' inconsistent responses to player-staff relationships left players confused about whether the NWSL prohibited such relationships. Pride leadership held a call with players and staff in which they were informed generally that some reports had been substantiated and some had not. One player described Dames as driven by his outward expression, which involved yelling rather than coaching. 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. On December 1, 2022, Paulson announced the decision to sell the Thorns. Soccer." Shim's and Farrelly's interviews occurred in person at Providence Park, the stadium where In September 2015, Sky Blue, an NWSL club now known as NJ/NY Gotham FC, expressed an interest to the NWSL and the Thorns in speaking with Riley regarding a coaching position. Following this discussion, Kurtz recalled having a telephone call with Hammond to discuss her request. The Joint Investigative Team requested an interview of Angie and Chris Long, and Angie Long sat for an interview. The NWSL should share with U.S. Soccer when a club employee is removed from a club due to a finding of misconduct under the Anti-Harassment Policy to allow U.S. Soccer to take necessary measures to prevent that employee from engaging in further misconduct in youth soccer or in other leagues, including the removal of coaching licenses where necessary. Holly grabbed Simon's wrist and forced her to touch his penis. b) Additionally, Whisler repeatedly minimized and dismissed concerns raised by players and staff about Dames. Wilkinson responded that the trade was "purely a player move that made sense." 102, directives were inconsistent with sports medicine best practices; for example, players reported that Pauw discouraged them from eating fruit because of its sugar content. Hendrix said Simon shared Holly's comment with her, and Holly's "nonchalant response to Simon asking him to stop touching her made them wonder if he was "doing something to someone else." The Joint Investigative Team found, for example, that club staff in positions of power made inappropriate sexual remarks to players, mocked players' bodies, pressured players to lose unhealthy amounts of weight, crossed professional boundaries with players, and created volatile and manipulative working conditions. In spring 2021, when Levine was the NWSL's general counsel, Shim and Farrelly resurfaced allegations against Riley. She recalled Riley's behavior oscillating between positive comments about her performance and tearing her down-she had positive experiences with Riley in 2018, but recalled Riley spiraling [everything] back to [her]" and leaving meetings with him in tears" in 2019. Alex Morgan shares her frustration at the NWSL's failure to support Meleana Shim after speaking out against Paul Riley in this behind-the-scenes clip from E60: Truth Be Told, available now on ESPN+. Garcia emailed Shim, stating that although Garcia "did not conclude that unlawful harassment had occurred," she concluded that policy violations had taken place. 50, The Joint Investigative Team encountered significant delays in its attempts to collect relevant documents from the Red Stars. While the organization cut back its spending in 2002 and 2003, it could not recover financially. b) After significant effort and some inquiries, they ultimately identified Nancy Garcia (formerly Nancy Garcia Ford), the HR director for the Thorns and its affiliated men's team, the Portland Timbers. A. Some players and club staff explained that the apology was requested because players had violated COVID-19 protocols in the stands. .85 One player said that after Holly learned she had experienced a personal loss, he encouraged her to meet with him late at night. And while the coaches offered some purported legitimate, non-retaliatory The latest report also focuses on racism and microaggressions in a way that the Yates report did not. According to one player, this staff member began dating the player mid-season. 23, Thorns staff worked and players played games. Following Clarkson's suspension, the Joint Investigative Team interviewed 19 additional current and former Dash players and staff, including Clarkson. The Joint Investigative Team also reviewed the practices and policies in the NWSL and its member clubs related to identifying, investigating, and addressing such misconduct. The 2015 Thorns Investigation was poorly handled in key respects. III. On both occasions, Holly began touching Simon as they were watching film. . Williams, who was not at the meeting, reported being told by the Longs and a staff member that players were not happy because the team was not doing well. The Thorns initiated a week-long investigation (the "2015 Thorns Investigation") conducted by its HR director, who found that some of Shim's allegations were undisputed and who summarized findings against Riley in a final investigative report. The NWSLPA also announced that it would conduct its own independent investigation into workplace misconduct within the League. It's important to have time to yourself in any relationship. It was hopeless." Garcia, who conducted all of the interviews and collected and reviewed documents and text messages from individuals she interviewed, is not a lawyer and lacked experience in conducting sensitive investigations. 10. 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. 7. Farid Benstiti (OL Reign, Head Coach, 2020-2021) The policy contains a broad prohibition on harassment, discrimination, bullying, and retaliation, and explicitly applies to "any and all" forms of each type of misconduct. Players also reported club staff inappropriately making comments about players' appearance and personal lives. Another player stated that her team had been "brainwashed" into thinking that Riley's coaching methods were necessary for the team to win. Malik said that after he spoke to Gulati, he then spoke to Paulson, who told Malik to ask the NWSL for a copy of the 2015 investigative report, rather than providing Malik with a copy of the report himself. 6. Recalling the club's mindset at the time, Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler explained that a check was not considered, as Dames was a well-known figure within the soccer community. The NWSL should advise clubs to offer players the opportunity to speak candidly about their views on prospective coaches or staff and should guard vigilantly against any potential retaliation or breach of confidentiality associated with players sharing their views. One owner similarly expressed confusion over the extent to which clubs could perform HR functions for players, given that clubs are "not [players'] employers." As a result, multiple players and staff members credibly expressed fear of severe consequences for their participation in the March Investigation and the subsequent retaliation investigation if they spoke negatively about the coaching staff, or if they were not bought in. g) Consequences of Inaction Two players had in fact described the same example of Dames sharing personal information, but one of the two players also provided a different example of when Dames's had shared information in a way that made her uncomfortable. The Joint Investigative Team was in the process of scheduling an interview with Holly when the USSF Report was released. Whisler has demonstrated a willingness to counsel Dames and shut down offensive conduct." This scope included both sexual misconduct and other forms of misconduct. Players also told Novo that Holly was in a romantic relationship with another player, Christie Pearce Rampone. Ultimately, WUSA announced it was folding on September 15, 2003, less than a week before the kickoff of the 2003 World Cup in the United States. In the suite, he began touching her under her shirt and under her pants, and told her that for every pass she fucked up," he was going to touch her. Trainings should also explain that even if there are other reasons for taking an adverse action against a player or staff member, if retaliation is a motivating factor for taking an adverse action, the adverse action is retaliatory and a violation of the Anti-Harassment Policy. However, Wahlke did not take steps to engage with the League or the Courage about why Riley was still coaching in the NWSL. (Racial microaggressions are intentional or unintentional verbal or behavioral actions, often brief and commonplace, that insult or discredit people of color). Likewise, at least two players expressed surprise that Amanda Cromwell had been hired as head coach of the Pride despite concerns arising from her tenure at UCLA. Support Former and Current NWSL Players in Pursuing Coaching Careers in the NWSL Club ownership noted that the individual had "cleared" his background check and that they had planned to hire him, but that they ultimately chose not to hire him after the NWSL advised against it. c) Necessity of Additional Vetting An attorney retained by the Thorns following the report by Shim did not conduct any interviews or otherwise play an active role in the investigation. The NWSL should update the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy to incorporate the NonFraternization Policy currently found in its Operations Manual. even if the relationship . Alyse LaHue (Sky Blue and Gotham, Vice President, 20182019, General Manager, 2019-2021) This team member said she had not experienced a similar situation in a professional environment. READ MORE: Ex-Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley fired from NWSL team amid allegations of sexual misconduct. The investigations into allegations of misconduct-and the NWSL's awareness of and involvement in such investigations have been inconsistent and have not always followed best practices. A player who raised concerns about Dames's treatment of players to Whisler in 2021 recalled that Whisler told her, Yes, I had this conversation with Rory a couple years ago to reel him back in. "We existed because [our owner] wanted a soccer team for his daughter. 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. In 2022, it was updated to prohibit discrimination and retaliation more explicitly. The U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT") has consistently ranked in the top of FIFA's rankings and has never finished below third place in the Women's World Cup. Reis was placed on unpaid administrative leave and is required to participate in mandatory training regarding retaliation, discrimination, harassment and bullying, and must participate in mandatory executive coaching. 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. Players across numerous clubs described weight-shaming comments and actions by both male and female coaches. Some players reported feeling that the incident left them feeling attacked, scared, and on edge. Over the course of this investigation, the Joint Investigative Team conducted approximately 100 interviews of current and former NWSL players, 6 interviews of current and former leadership of the NWSLPA and the USWNTPA, approximately 90 interviews of current and former club staff, 15 interviews of current and former League leadership and staff, and 8 interviews of current and former U.S. Soccer personnel. The player reported that she later told Clarkson she found the comment offensive, and he laughed again. Nonetheless, the Joint Investigative Team faced a number of limitations throughout the investigation. During this investigation, Racing Louisville initially refused to allow witnesses to discuss substantial aspects of Holly's employment and termination, citing the severance agreement's mutual non-disparagement and non-disclosure provisions. The club announced that Holly was terminated "for cause," but the announcement did not specify that the "cause" was sexual misconduct. Many of the coaches and individuals who engaged in misconduct and who are discussed in this Report were not appropriately vetted by their clubs. Another player said the overall environment was "abusive." After Starr revealed Simon's identity to the club, Wilkins set up a meeting for later that morning with Simon, Starr, and Wilkins's supervisor. Players suggested that this relationship led to favoritism and improper information-sharing. Players also recalled that the club requested players keep what was discussed at the meeting confidential. 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. As discussed in more detail below, Pauw also strictly controlled players' eating and workout habits. That initial policy was created with a primary focus of maintaining a safe environment, free of harassment. A volunteer who interacted with players at Racing Louisville, when asked whether she considered reporting Christy Holly's misconduct to SafeSport, said, No, and that's a great point. The NWSL's 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy attempts to clarify the roles of the clubs and League in investigating misconduct. Examples of prohibited verbal conduct include epithets; derogatory comments or slurs; negative stereotyping; and jokes, kidding, or teasing about another person's protected status. That survey still contained questions about the prior topics, but also included more detailed questions about the NWSL, including player satisfaction with the contract and trade processes. The complainant explained that one night, Riley told two players that the team would not have to do fitness drills if they kissed. At the conclusion of the March Investigation, the Pride's counsel substantiated that Cromwell engaged in favoritism, inappropriately communicated with and "verbally attack[ed]" players, made sexualized comments about players' appearances, disregarded the advice of the sports medicine staff, and discouraged players from utilizing reporting channels.