The Joint Investigative Team also took into account whether conduct complied with professional coaching standards. At some point, the notion of Shim and Farrelly kissing was raised, though no one could recall in 2015 who raised the idea; Farrelly told the Joint Investigative Team that Riley pushed the notion of intimacy between the players-both that night and persistently even before that nightand Shim and Farrelly have since recalled that Riley likely came up with the idea for them to kiss. The investigator did not ask the players about this assertion or take other steps to determine the accuracy of the claim that the players wanted to return. 93, In one case, an individual designated to receive player complaints was accused of misconduct, leaving players feeling as though they had no recourse to report those individuals. On one occasion, when she informed LaHue that other players had asked why LaHue was "so mean to her, LaHue responded, Tell them kids at the playground always pick on their crush." Rather, she said the focus of the interview was on assessing the truth of Shim's allegations and determining whether Farrelly had told anyone about the incident. 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. I don't think so, but I've honestly never asked. One of the players perceived this as an attempt to convince them to go out drinking. Our players respect what Holly does as a coach and how he treats other players, coaches, and staff." The NWSL should establish guidelines requiring that meetings between club staff and players take place in appropriate professional settings, including while traveling. 9 Simon told Holly she was uncomfortable and did her best to get out of the house, but she did not want to anger Holly because she was scared. At the time, Plush contacted Gulati and Flynn, saying that the player survey comments from the Flash were disturbing and more worrisome than others." It was previously reported, although never officially communicated by the league or club, that LaHue was fired for violation of the league's anti-harassment policy. She said that she chose to come forward about her experiences and was willing to be identified in this Report to help other players. Players reported that playing time and favorable feedback from coaches were critical to their chances of selection for the USWNT; a lack of playing time also impacted sponsorship opportunities, without which many players had to work second jobs in the off-season to supplement their income. The cover email was not marked as privileged, or confidential, or as subject to any legal protection. The 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement retained the waiver system, but provided four weeks of severance pay for waived players. On November 4, 2022, these findings were conveyed to the NWSL, NWSLPA, Thorns, Wilkinson, and the player involved. Offensive and Insensitive Behavior Related to Race and Ethnicity Former U.S. Soccer CEO Dan Flynn stated, in a written statement, [T]he USSF's role as manager' (a misnomer to be sure) of the NWSL was really quite limited. Until 2021, the NWSL did not have a formal policy prohibiting harassment. Such volatility was a common thread among many coaches in the League who engaged in other forms of emotional, verbal, or sexual misconduct. Alyse LaHue Though many of these policies were drafted prior to the activation of the NWSL RealResponse hotline, they had not been updated to reflect that important development. Women's Soccer Bans Ex-Coaches and Fines Teams After Misconduct Report 78, reasons for the waiver/contract buyout and other proposed waivers, several additional considerations supported the conclusion that retaliation was a motivating factor. Interviewees expressed that Clarkson failed to recognize when his ineffective communication was detrimental to players' emotional wellbeing, though many players also stated that Clarkson was tough but fair. This lack of transparency enabled Riley to continue to coach NWSL players for another six years after he was fired from the Thorns. In other cases, clubs knew of and allowed the staff member and player to continue their romantic relationship, particularly where the relationship preexisted their time at the club. Whisler received a copy of the organizational climate review on November 21, 2021, and recalled that he was "repulsed" by the findings. This is especially important in situations where club staff with control over player transactions (coaches, general managers, etc.) Two players reported that Dames texted some players in a manner that felt "very different" from his communications with other players. ii The following day, on June 14, 2018, Dames texted Whisler that he heard Levine had contacted a player to set up a call, and Whisler promptly responded that he had spoken to the player in question. 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. For example, the NWSL engaged a third-party investigator specializing in workplace investigations to conduct investigations into former Royals owner Dell Loy Hansen in 2020, Dash stadium security in 2021, and LaHue in 2021. Despite receiving updates on the investigation, U.S. Soccer failed to follow up on evidence that suggested Riley may have had a more extensive relationship with Farrelly. * Baird then-again based on a response Levine had drafted-responded to Farrelly with an email similar to the one she had sent Shim, stating that the initial complaint in 2015 had been investigated to conclusion" and that she could not "share any additional details." Farrelly also emailed Baird and the NWSL HR Office email address in April 2021 setting forth serious allegations against Riley, including that she had experienced inappropriate conduct by Riley in addition to what she reported during the Thorns's 2015 investigation. . In a second case, a club hired a technical staff member who participated in training sessions before his required vetting was complete. . He stated it was included because, in Estes's view, no one would sign a unilateral non-disparagement provision. Multiple players and staff shared that they have witnessed behavior from coaches that confirmed in their minds that coaches, staff, or club leadership would retaliate if they raised complaints. He noted, for instance, that if Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler quit the League, the League would fail. This incident was corroborated by both players and staff members. Players Experienced an Array of Interpersonal Misconduct, and Reports of That Misconduct Were Mishandled Discussing the National Women's Soccer League and all things women's soccer in the US A. However, Gulati told the Joint Investigative Team that he did not tell Dorrance anything about the 2015 allegations or investigation of Riley. Sponsorship budgets reach farther than ever Olympique Lyonnais LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the OL Groupe ("OL), was set to buy the Reign ahead of the 2020 season, so Predmore updated OL throughout the hiring process. Paulson noted that Wahlke kept coming back to the determination of no unlawful harassment. The Joint Investigative Team created an email address and phone number for individuals to confidentially provide information. The N.W.S.L. and Players' Union Report on Women's Soccer 4. The individual incidents and recurrent practices detailed in this Report reflect the experiences of players, not only in isolated moments but also more broadly, as women playing soccer in a league historically owned and run by men. Clubs have also at times failed to share critical information about certain applicants with other clubs, which resulted in clubs hiring coaches accused of misconduct without sufficient information about the allegations. The Joint Investigative Team found strong evidence to corroborate players' concerns about Whisler. The power of players' voices to call attention to and combat misconduct is evident; the steps the League has taken, including commissioning this joint investigation with the NWSLPA, have already had a meaningful impact. Those discussions should be focused on how to improve the player's performance and should not include any jokes, insults, or other unconstructive comments about players' weight, appearance, or eating habits. (There have already been consequences since the Yates report, including Merritt Paulson and Arnim Whisler agreeing to sell the Portland Thorns and Chicago Red Stars, respectively.). Plush also said he spoke to Lines and Alex Sahlen in January 2016, encouraging them to look elsewhere for a new coach." A. Simon shoved Holly's hands away, and in response, she felt that Holly looked at her like it was a "challenge." The Yates report made note of teams and individuals who did not cooperate, including the Portland Thorns, Chicago Red Stars, and Racing Louisville FC. Farrelly recalled feeling guilty after the interview that she had told her partner about the kissing incident. Support Former and Current NWSL Players in Pursuing Coaching Careers in the NWSL This league, eventually named the National Women's Soccer League, began play in April 2013. In 2020 and 2021, the League saw a series of high-profile departures following reports of interpersonal misconduct. 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. 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. However, Shim preferred to stay in Portland, where she already had a lease and was working as a private coach, so she asked Riley if the team would try to keep her. A. 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." On December 1, 2022, Paulson announced the decision to sell the Thorns. Reports of Retaliation for Complaints of Misconduct 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. Players also drew a connection between coaches who engaged in abusive behavior and coaches who, in the players' view, relished the feeling of having power over their players. Going forward, the NWSL will, in accordance with its policies and procedures, investigate and address any allegations of misconduct that are reported through its established reporting channels. Another veteran player commented on her early years in the NWSL: "I couldn't even have told you who was the president of the League at that time. Collectively, this public reporting gave the impression of widespread misconduct by coaches and those in positions of power, and that U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and clubs had failed to take measures to protect players and prevent future misconduct. 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." For instance, former Red Stars player Nikki Stanton recalled that she felt "worthless" during her time on the Red Stars, but she prided herself on being a good teammate and maintaining a positive attitude. The details could go too many different directions to even speculate. alyse lahue relationship - yampariverbotanicpark.org Most critically, when the investigation was completed, U.S. Soccer did not communicate the results of the investigation to the players, the Red Stars, or the NWSL on the basis of attorney-client privilege. Why not talk to me?" If [we have] a concern, we're going to sit down and try to find a solution. He also said, If you're trying to build trust, which is what we're trying to do, it's hard to build trust if someone's saying to you, '[I] can't tell you where it's coming from.' 5. After the 2015 Thorns Investigation commenced, Plush followed up with Shim by email, notifying her that the League was monitoring the investigation and stating, [If] there is any additional information that you wish to provide me, separate from what you have discussed with Portland's human resources manager, or if you have concerns about the investigation, please feel free to reach out to me directly." The prospective owner shared that he had learned of a relationship between an owner and a player at one club, and a coach and a player at another club. The club announced Holly's termination "for cause on August 31, 2021. But the handling of this situation from all parties, and the future of a club suddenly back in a state of chaos, are worth exploring. The National Women's Soccer League and NWSL Players' Association have published their joint investigation into abuse allegations across the league. One former player differentiated between raised voices in different locations: the player opined, "If you're working in an office cubicle, no one will scream at you for your terrible touch, but that might be needed on the field." Multiple players described outsized, angry reactions to innocuous questions or requests. Both Gulati and Flynn said they never reviewed the Thorns's 2015 investigative report prior to its October 2022 public disclosure by U.S. Soccer. Based on the findings of the external review, Whisler told Dames that he should offer his resignation or he would be terminated that day. 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. According to an external review conducted by the Red Stars in 2021, players described Dames "as 'condescending', manipulative', 'aggressive', 'insulting', [and] an intimidator."" 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. . Trauma-Informed, Survivor-Centered Approach Beyond the Bottom Line on Apple Podcasts Players Finally, players and club staff recalled that Riley made caustic remarks to Thorns players, calling players idiots and motherfuckers, harshly criticizing their weight, and commenting about players' sexual orientations (including stating that a player loves a strapon"). A few weeks later, on June 12, 2018, another Red Stars player emailed the NWSL HR office to file a complaint about Dames and Whisler. Non-contact physical behavior can also contribute to the creation of emotional misconduct. In the 2014 player survey, several players for the Thorns shared negative comments about the coaching staff, including Riley.