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One player reported that Dames had one-on-one dinners with players where he made comments about their appearances and dating lives. Players should be advised that the information they share during exit interviews may be shared with other clubs, but in a fashion that does not identify the player who provided the feedback. This incident was corroborated by both players and staff members. While Whisler told U.S. Soccer's investigator that Dames's demeanor" and "patience" had improved by 2019, in an external organizational climate review" the Red Stars conducted in the fall of 2021, players raised the same concerns about Dames that Press first raised in 2014. Dames remained head coach for nine full seasons in the NWSL, and when he resigned in November 2021, he was the The NWSL should require annual written certifications from all NWSL and club staff and players certifying they have completed all mandatory annual trainings and that they have reviewed, understood, and agree to abide by the Anti-Harassment Policy. The lead investigator told the Joint Investigative Team that she believed Dames's "excessive yelling, unpredictable behavior, and singling out players for constant criticism . 107, defames, or is derogatory of the other. Citing the non-disparagement provision in the agreement, the club and its executives declined to speak freely with the Joint Investigative Team about Holly until the fourth quarter of 2022, significantly delaying this aspect of the Rather, the allegations and findings against Riley were frequently downplayed, including by discussing only certain aspects of certain of the allegations against Riley and, as noted, by using the determination of no unlawful harassment to summarize the investigative findings. Stanton reflected that Dames "knew how to take the things that meant the most to you and turn them against you." Former Utah Royals head coach Craig Harrington and former Gotham GM Alyse LaHue drew two-year bans, with further conditions on subsequent NWSL employment. According to the report, she denied the allegations. Plush stated that he was advised by counsel that such information was "confidential" and could not be shared by the League. After Riley joined the Thorns in 2014, he brought on assistant coaches who had worked for him in the past and who, according to multiple accounts, appeared loyal to Riley. Gulati acknowledged that he had read the memorandum in advance of a meeting with players, including Press, on September 17, 2014, but said that he did not remember any specifics about the meeting, including whether Dames's conduct was discussed. In 2017 and 2019, the NWSL hired a law firm to conduct an inperson anti-harassment training for all players and a separate anti-harassment training for all club staff, though according to former NWSL General Counsel Lisa Levine, one club declined to participate in 2019. The NWSL should require clubs to provide separate housing accommodations to establish clearer boundaries between players and club staff. Tammy Murphy, Alyse LaHue Share What Success Looks Like For - Forbes Malik, on the other hand, provided a contrary explanation of his communications with Paulson. 111, Also in 2018, a player raised concerns to Duffy and Levine about Dames's behavior towards players. Holly lived in the same apartment complex with players at Racing Louisville, and he tried to get Simon to go to his apartment many times, but she refused. However, Wahlke did not take steps to engage with the League or the Courage about why Riley was still coaching in the NWSL. 11 When Racing Louisville learned of Holly's sexual misconduct toward Erin Simon, the club acted quickly, firing him within hours of speaking to Simon, and in spite of a request from the NWSL that they pause to let the League investigate. One player opined that in the past, players had an innate instinct to put up with" problematic behavior and to protect a nascent, unstable league. 109, result of the failure to share information, the NWSL, the Red Stars, and players were left with the impression that Dames's behavior was deemed acceptable by U.S. Soccer. Players shared with former Sky Blue President and General Manager Tony Novo She showed the text message to a teammate to try to gauge Riley's intention. OL Reign's July 2021 announcement that former OL Reign Head Coach Farid Benstiti had resigned from the club made no mention of his disparaging comments. Club staff must be held to higher standards. According to the report: "While the NWSL investigation [of the 2021 incident with Gorden] was ongoing, Dash Head Coach James Clarkson -- during a team meeting prior to completion of the investigation -- wrote phone numbers for stadium security on a board and asked players to call and apologize for their conduct." However, Gulati told the Joint Investigative Team that he did not tell Dorrance anything about the 2015 allegations or investigation of Riley. Since the Joint Investigative Team began its work, the NWSL has increased efforts to eradicate misconduct, embraced greater accountability, and experienced a cultural shift regarding behaviors that are no longer tolerated. Players credibly reported to the Joint Investigative Team that Dames was "emotionally manipulative" and would use information about their personal lives against them. One club employee recalled that Riley often made comments about lesbian players, including that players dating women negatively impacted their playing performance and their commitment to the team. Club and U.S. Soccer personnel repeated the Thorns's characterization of Riley's conduct as poor judgment for years. Harrington denied making these comments, and he stated that he never made comments about players' physical attractiveness and never "sexualized" players. 123, F. Levine had previously instructed the HR employee to monitor the email account and to elevate any complaints so that Levine could then determine next steps and manage any subsequent investigations. One player compiled other players' accounts of Benstiti's speech into a formal complaint, which reported that Benstiti said, "If I see you [eat] snacks, I will kill you; told players he would be monitoring their food and snacks; and "specifically brought up Lindsey Horan and said, 'I don't care, I will do the same thing and I don't care if it's in the paper."" Until 2022, the League also had no free agency for any players, meaning a single club retained the rights to the player even if the player was not under contract. After Holly learned that a different starting player had complained about his behavior to club leadership, he demoted her to training with reserve players. Hansen's and Harrington's departures in 2020 presaged a wave of departures in 2021. First, the Joint Investigative Team found that the 2015 Thorns Investigation was inadequate in key ways. Holly complained to Simon about Hendrix and referred to Hendrix as a "cockblock." The 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced free agency for a subset of players that meet certain service requirements. NWSL investigation finds 'ongoing misconduct,' details culture of abuse, Red Stars owner Whisler selling stake in club, NWSL year in review: Extreme parity, emerging USWNT stars, new CBA, Yates report, more, NWSL abuse allegations as they happened: Portland Thorns, Washington Spirit timelines, day by day, Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.). 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. Second, the repeated assertion that the 2015 Thorns Investigation did not reveal unlawful harassment by Riley is troubling. The background checks should continue to be conducted by professional employment services companies in a manner consistent with any applicable legal restrictions and guidelines. Despite the discussions between U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and both the Thorns and Courage regarding Riley's unsuitability to coach the USWNT, no steps were taken to remove or prevent him from coaching NWSL players. . Gotham subsequently terminated the GMs employment. Truth Be Told: The Fight for Women's Professional Soccer, stream on ESPN+. Some witnesses also recalled that Riley would at times exert pressure to have injured players play, in spite of medical advice to the contrary. Instead, the conclusion of the report stated, "Beyond the undisputed behaviors, there are a significant volume of other concerns shared by some, but not all players. When Simon arrived at Holly's house, Pearce Rampone was not there. Rutgers has been a great partner to us . The NWSL's 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy attempts to clarify the roles of the clubs and League in investigating misconduct. During the USSF Dames Investigation, players reported multiple instances of Dames using racist language, including calling a Black player a thug and describing her as "acting like a gang member." Such a requirement would mandate additional research into the candidate, including interviews with references, former players at youth, professional, and other levels, and other contacts. to any third-party that denigrates, disparages, criticizes, This misconduct did not occur in a vacuum. This may include engaging with the NWSLPA or third-party experts regarding reforms, including the measures the Joint Investigative Team recommends below, to ensure that they are implemented in a way that meets players' needs. Nonetheless, substantial work remains to be done to ensure the safety of players in the NWSL, and effective change will need to last beyond one commissioner. Several of these players described Clarkson as fair, but tough on players based on their soccer performance and potential. Players expressed a belief that the close relationships between coaching staff and management meant any complaints of misconduct would fall on deaf ears or subject them to retaliation. One evening, he persuaded her to have dinner at an Italian restaurant in Portland. Reports of Retaliation for Complaints of Misconduct For example, Racing Louisville player Erin Simon observed that former Racing Louisville Head Coach Christy Holly, discussed at length below, would inappropriately put his hands on players "all the time in training, and a rookie teammate went along with his inappropriate touching because she was a bench player and feared being cut from the team. Racing Louisville did not appropriately respond to players' reports about Holly's conduct as the club's head coach. 103, Benstiti did not respond to the Joint Investigative Team's request to speak with him. F. 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." Shim told the Joint Investigative Team that it would be an easy thing for Riley to claim that her performance had decreased to justify the drop in playing time. Phil Murphy said the treatment of women on the soccer team he owns is Farrelly also emailed Baird and the NWSL HR Office email account in April 2021, stating she had "not only witnessed but also experienced firsthand extremely inappropriate conduct" by Riley, that she had raised "serious" allegations during the 2015 investigation that were not independently investigated, that she had experiences of Riley making comments about her personal relationships and sexual orientation in addition to what she reported during the 2015 investigation, and that there were "numerous instances of severe misconduct" involving Riley prior to when she joined the NWSL. When Simon told Holly he had to stop touching her because it was messing with her, he began treating her poorly on the field, yelling at her and taking her out of games regardless of her performance. . In late August 2021, approximately four weeks after Simon first disclosed Holly's abuse to Starr, Starr told Louisville City's chaplain Garrett Bates that Holly was "sexually harassing" a player, and that he had "touched a player inappropriately." If a player shares information about misconduct in an exit interview, the club staff conducting the exit interview should alert the NWSL HR Office or the NWSL General Counsel so that interim protective measures can be taken as needed and the NWSL can investigate the allegation promptly and thoroughly. It was hopeless." In February 2016, Plush expressed concern in internal emails about the fact that the Flash were planning to hire Riley. Multiple witnesses reported that Riley criticized Sinead Farrelly's romantic relationships, stated that Farrelly was "too hot to be a lesbian," and said that Farrelly's then-partner was a "predator." b) Retaliation by Amanda Cromwell and Sam Greene Players described their coaches' continual policing of food intake not as informed decisions based on nutritional needs, but rather as an example of these coaches' compulsion for control. On August 14, 2019, outside counsel for U.S. Soccer emailed Wahlke stating Riley "was having a relationship with a Portland player. Multiple players recognized the frequency of these invitations and communications as "not normal and "inappropriate." On September 1, 2021, Holly texted Simon and told her he was fired for "an inappropriate relationship" with her. Reporting channels also should be posted in physical locations where players and staff convene, including locker rooms and club office space. Observations and Findings beers, shots, whatever. This same player said that Riley would be at the bar "from the time" the players arrived until after players left. Players were asked to rate on a scale of one to five their satisfaction with: (i) facilities; (ii) technical staff knowledge and skill; (iii) logistics and accommodations; (iv) club organization; and (v) overall experience as a member of their NWSL teams. Players at the Dash told the Joint Investigative Team that they were unsure where to report misconduct by James Clarkson because they believed that he and club President John Walker were "best friends." You need to lose weight. One player said that during the 2020 Challenge Cup, which began five months after Benstiti signed his contract, Benstiti was "already hiding food under the table he didn't want girls to eat." Although this investigation gathered substantial evidence, the Joint Investigative Team also encountered challenges. Simon felt scared and physically intimidated. Baird consulted Levine-who had worked as general counsel for U.S. Soccer in 2015, and for the NWSL since 2017, and who had been kept closely apprised of the 2015 Thorns Investigation when it occurred-on how to respond. Despite this instruction, multiple people observed Benstiti commenting on players' food consumption at the 2020 Challenge Cup, where Benstiti also hid food from players. Within a few months, investors had spent what was originally expected to sustain the league for three to five years. However, the allegations once again were not responded to appropriately by the NWSL, including by Levine, who had read Shim's 2015 allegations against Riley as well as the 2015 investigative report. In 2020 and 2021, the League saw a series of high-profile departures following reports of interpersonal misconduct. Start your FREE, 7-day trial of The Equalizer Extra for industry-leading reporting and insight on the USWNT, NWSL and beyond. Summary of Inappropriate Conduct.. A. Plush was aware that the Thorns launched an investigation, and he received some updates regarding the investigation. A player described Riley saying to players, "You fucking idiot," and "You have no idea what you're doing, why the fuck are you on the field, and another recalled Riley telling a player, "You're the clumsiest fucking player I've ever coached." For example, players noted that Pauw wanted to exert control over "every aspect of [their] lives," including everything you were putting in your body, every exercise you were doing." U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and Clubs Failed to Adequately Share Information Regarding Misconduct .. Kaleigh Kurtz, who reported experiencing sexual misconduct from Riley at the Courage, said that she did not report Riley's behavior in the past out of fear of being called a "troublemaker," but that she felt comfortable being named in this Report because "players who come forward will be protected." In 2021, responding to an email that mentioned the USSF Dames Investigation, Whisler wrote that Dames was "fully investigated" based on "an anonymous tip from a disgruntled former player," and that U.S. Soccer found that "no action was required." When LaHue was named GM in April, her first big goal was to re-establish a relationship with the fanbase, which had been very vocal about ousting former Sky Blue president and GM, Tony Novo. In 2022, it was updated to prohibit discrimination and retaliation more explicitly. A different player explained that "a lot of coaches . In February 2016, Gulati and Flynn engaged in communications with individuals at the NWSL and U.S. Soccer regarding the Flash's decision to hire Riley that reflected their understanding that the club's hiring of Riley was cause for concern. Levine, who was General Counsel of U.S. Soccer at the time, told the Joint Investigative Team that she recalled the comments about Lines were "very unfavorable." One player recalled that Holly "suddenly exploded" during the meeting. The player reported that when her teammate had approached the owner about mistreatment by Burke, Baldwin "did nothing about it." Conduct Reference Checks for All Prospective Owners, Coaches, and other Club Staff Who May Interact With Players 49, that he did not have "near enough support" to keep him at the club and they would "need to find the right wording." And after players reported concerns about Aaran Lines through the NWSL's player survey, the club removed him from his coaching position and installed him in the front office. The relationship was widely known by club management. However, looking back, this player observed, "People realized, 'There are different ways to do this. This trial and error process is what highlights need and in turn creates important policies and guidelines for stability in our infrastructure, Zerboni told Equalizer. Whisler shared his perspective with the Joint Investigative Team that "if you're a coach and you know a player doesn't want to be in your environment, has other players upset because she turned something in to the League there's a chemistry issue that I think has to be thought through from a team health perspective." Kaleigh Kurtz reported to the club that Riley made her uncomfortable and called her "chubby," and the club responded by telling Riley that he should speak to players about fitness," not "weight." Shim also forwarded the complaint to then-NWSL Commissioner Jeff Plush. One owner similarly expressed confusion over the extent to which clubs could perform HR functions for players, given that clubs are "not [players'] employers." Ensure the Channels for Reporting Misconduct Are Responsive to the Needs of Players and Staff of Color and LGBTQIA+ Players and Staff 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. Consider Creating an Alternative Complaint Resolution Program As detailed below, the Joint Investigative Team found widespread misconduct directed at NWSL players. Gulati told the Joint Investigative Team that he surmised he had received legal advice that there was nothing that could formally be done to stop Riley from coaching elsewhere in the NWSL. A 2012 ESPN article later reported that Borislow's conduct included verbal abuse and sexually suggestive comments towards players. Several players said that Holly dating Pearce Rampone also affected the way he treated other players. As noted above, the Thorns asserted privilege over the report in responding to Clarkson denied The NWSL should continue to update and revise the Anti-Harassment Policy to strengthen its protections against misconduct and retaliation toward NWSL players and club staff. 6. Players reported they raised concerns during this meeting regarding Williams's ineffectiveness as a coach and unprofessional and demeaning communication style. Most players enter the League through a draft, and player contracts are not required to be guaranteed. 3. Failures of the 2015 Thorns Investigation and Subsequent Communications The Joint Investigative Team further found that Goalkeeper Coach Aline Reis did not fully cooperate with the investigation, in violation of NWSL policy, including by pressuring players to share favorable information with investigators. This behavior contrasted with other periods during which he would ignore Shim. Furthermore, the investigation was not conducted in a trauma-informed manner, as is standard for such an investigation. Work on the USSF Dames Investigation ended in September 2019, and the investigator's draft report was sent to Wahlke, but the investigation was never formally concluded. Overall, the downplaying of Riley's misconduct by key individuals with first-hand knowledge evinced that the Thorns, the NWSL, and U.S. Soccer did E. Standards for Assessing Reports of Misconduct This may encompass disputes between players, or disputes between players and club staff. During that interview, she explained that she was more involved in on-the-field issues and that Chris Long was more involved in sponsorship and other business issues. Players told the Joint Investigative Team that the NWSL's culture and the unstable history of women's professional soccer in the United States deterred them from raising concerns about abuse, bullying, harassment, and other forms of misconduct. One player stated that, "Dishonesty and manipulation from your coach creates a toxic environment." Another staff member at the same club was retained as a consultant after complaints that he made inappropriate comments and singled out players. Compounding this effect, the League lacked trainings, policies, and other resources on harassment, abuse, and other forms of misconduct. 80, d) Concerns of Retaliation at the Kansas City Current 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." Levine learned in February 2016 that the Flash would announce their hiring of Riley, and she learned information from Plush to suggest that the Thorns had perhaps not been candid with the Flash regarding the 2015 allegations or findings against Riley. One interviewee reported that some clubs that had HR departments historically [could not] use them because of the single-entity structure [of the NWSL]." Whereas the Yates report intentionally focused on what it deemed the most egregious abusers, the joint investigation scrutinized more nuanced incidents of emotional abuse and power imbalances that caused players to report that they contemplated quitting, had panic attacks and, in some cases, needed therapy. Pauw appeared to want to control and micromanage players' diets and exercise regimens even when her weight loss A majority of interviewees believed that Clarkson's mood could be unpredictablethat he could be hot or cold, or they would not know what to expect in terms of his attitude on any given day. Boundary Blurring Between Players and Staff The two parties ultimately decided that a joint investigation made the most sense, with Covington taking the lead under the direction of an oversight committee. The Joint Investigative Team reached out to approximately 780 current and former NWSL players regarding the investigation. A third-party investigator conducted an investigation, and on July 8, 2021, the League concluded that Ms. 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. While the investigator documented the investigative steps that were taken, at the request of Levine, she did not prepare a summary of her findings and conclusions in either of these investigations, instead communicating informally with Levine. As described in the following sections, the failure to fully and adequately investigate and address these reports harmed NWSL players and discouraged players and other stakeholders from reporting misconduct. 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." Players Lacked Effective Channels for Reporting Inappropriate Behavior.. The Athletic recounted the experiences of two former players, Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly, and reported that Riley sexually coerced players, provided alcohol to players and drank excessively with them, and made derogatory comments about players' weight and sexual orientation. 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 same player said that Holly told her she should send a photo to someone she had planned to meet for a date but who did not show up for the date. Multiple players recognized the frequency of these invitations and communications as "not normal and inappropriate." Soccer." 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." According to the staff member, Predmore said the Benstiti weight-shaming issue was a cultural thing and that he "worked on it." 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. Prior to the event, he forwarded Shim an email containing his hotel reservation-one room with a king bed-and asked Shim to stay with him. After the incident at the stadium, Simon avoided Holly for a few weeks, but he eventually pulled her into the same suite in the stadium where the previous incident occurred and confronted her. The NDA between Holly and Racing Louisville caused various problems, including for investigators trying to obtain evidence. Provide Written Guidance to Coaches and Other Club Staff Stating That It Is Inappropriate to Make Degrading Comments or Jokes About a Player's Weight Multiple players described outsized, angry reactions to innocuous questions or requests. Paulson acknowledged in the letter that the club had made an "opaque" public announcement regarding Riley's termination, and he outlined new and ongoing initiatives for improvement. Incorporate Anti-Retaliation Training Into Other Mandatory Trainings Anti-retaliation training should define retaliation and emphasize that retaliation can take many forms-not just termination of employment or formal discipline. He began by making dirty or sexual jokes; however, his behavior escalated. 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. A player on another team remembered her coach saying to a teammate, in front of others, "I could take away your contract like that." Players reported that the relationship between Williams and the owners made players feel that any complaints raised to ownership would get back to Williams. Insufficient HR Staff at the NWSL and Clubs
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