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In written responses to questions posed by U.S. Soccer and provided to the Joint Investigative Team, Flynn 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. And while the coaches offered some purported legitimate, non-retaliatory According to the USSF Dames Report, Dames admitted that he used the term "thug" to refer to a Black player but adamantly denied any racial intent. Christy Holly's Sexual Misconduct and Abuse NWSL In the wake of that public disclosure, Spirit CEO and managing partner Steve Baldwin resigned, but players called for him to sell his share of the team to minority owner Michele Kang. A staff member "got really drunk" during this party and "made inappropriate passes at people." Recommendations Clubs Moved Coaches Accused of Misconduct to Other Roles 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. a) Reports of Misconduct in Survey Comments 3, violations of those policies-to identify and reform deficiencies. The same player stated that Holly would "attack" another player about her boyfriend, and Holly would tell this player that he felt like he was dating her. Similarly, Levine reported that, prior to 2020, the League had only been involved in one or two investigations, and that no formal procedure for handling complaints had been developed. According to Malik, then-U.S. Soccer Vice President (now-President) Cone contacted him to ask if he knew of any concerns with Riley during Riley's time at the Courage. The Thorns's counsel's unexplained conclusion was consistent with what was communicated to Shim and Riley. One player told the Joint Investigative Team that when Black players raised the issue of race, they were "pushed to the side" or made to feel "crazy." Another player recalled this teammate remarking that she would not be surprised if she was traded after the meeting. The head coach would ask questions about players who were dating women, and another coach would contrast players who were dating women with players who were not, implying that the team should consider players' sexual orientations when making roster decisions. So far, the league and club have done a fine job keeping the details under wraps. In one text, he sent her a photo of himself in compression shorts. It does not appear that the investigator affirmatively asked players if this incident had occurred in an attempt to corroborate the allegation. The NWSL should require clubs to provide separate housing accommodations to establish clearer boundaries between players and club staff. In the 2015 survey, two players for the Red Stars stated that Dames was "abusive." There were also multiple process failures during the USSF Dames Investigation, which left notable gaps in its fact-finding. 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 Exit interviews should ask players questions to probe whether they have knowledge or awareness of any incidents of misconduct not previously reported. Bailey also noted to Whisler that the player survey results were shared with Flynn and Gulati, and Whisler emailed both Flynn and Gulati regarding the survey results. Temares did not recall Novo coming to him with this question and rather remembered being surprised because he heard about Holly's departure after the fact. You should be so grateful for me. Pauw appeared for but refused to cooperate in an interview with the Joint Investigative Team, but she provided a written denial of what she suspected were the allegations against her, including a statement that she has never remarked on any player's appearance. For example, individuals affiliated with U.S. Soccer denied that U.S. Soccer operated in a managerial role, despite the terms of the Management Agreement. And when Riley was coaching at the Courage, Paulson tweeted several times commending Riley, stating, for instance, that Riley had done a phenomenal job" coaching and that full credit" should go to the Courage and to Riley, who won the NWSL championship that year. The NWSL should consider working with the NWSLPA to establish additional affinity groups, and develop similar partnerships with those affinity groups to improve the NWSL experience for all players. Adding to this controversy, in July 2011, the WPS players' union filed a grievance that accused Borislow of bullying and threatening players, and creating a "hostile, oppressive and intimidating work environment." Require Separate Individuals to Hold Key Club Leadership Roles However, Wahlke did not take steps to engage with the League or the Courage about why Riley was still coaching in the NWSL. even if the relationship . He asked her what she was eating, told her she looked chubby, and told her she would need to lose 14 pounds before the game to keep her starting role, telling her, "I hope you know I'm doing this because I love you." The NWSL should emphasize that this program is not a substitute for reporting channels provided in the Anti-Harassment Policy and should not encourage players or staff to address potential misconduct under the Anti-Harassment Policy through the Alternative Complaint Resolution program. New Jersey Alyse LaHue has brought real change to Sky Blue FC. 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. The reasons for Alyse LaHue's termination as NJ/NY Gotham FC general manager in July 2021 are also now clear following 1 years of silence from the club on the issue. Reader discretion is advised. A few days later, Plush emailed Gulati, Flynn, and Levine and recounted a "long conversation" with Lines. At the second club, the relationship between the staff member and the player allowed rumors to pass between management, staff, and players. Riley and Holly were not the only club staff members reported to have made unwanted sexual advances toward players. During the lengthy investigation, players were given insufficient opportunity to speak to the investigator, and the investigator did not speak to any club staff members other than Dames. A former OL Reign staff member who worked closely with Predmore was adamant that Benstiti had not yet been hired when Predmore was made aware of the issue. It's not just this coach. They warned Predmore that he [needed] to double check on Benstiti's comments to Horan and noted that they were "flagging it for him. The 2021 AntiHarassment Policy primarily focused on maintaining a safe environment free of harassment. 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. "Even after repeated requests and lengthy negotiations, U.S. Soccer did not meaningfully respond to the Joint Investigative Team's requests until shortly before and again after the USSF Report was released. The conclusion of the report similarly minimized players' concerns in favor of Dames's and Whisler's self-serving explanations. After the meeting, the team captains followed up with Clarkson and reportedly told him that his conduct had scared players. Arnim Whisler confirmed considering a similar plan for Dames at the Red Stars, even after Whisler learned that a majority of the players on the team believed Dames created an environment of fear and expressed concerns about retaliation. The NWSL engaged Covington & Burling LLP ("Covington") to conduct an independent investigation, and the NWSLPA engaged counsel at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP ("Weil"). Kurtz said her biggest fear was being considered a "troublemaker" for reporting misconduct, but she feels now that "players who come forward will be protected." The Joint Investigative Team reported to an Oversight Committee comprised of two representatives selected by the NWSLPA, Meghann Burke (Executive Director, NWSLPA) and Terri Jackson (Executive Director, Women's National Basketball Players Association); two representatives selected by the NWSL, Jessica Berman (Commissioner, NWSL) and Djenaba Parker (General Counsel and Chief People Officer, Goop, Inc., and former General Counsel, New York Red Bulls); and one independent member, former United States District Judge Barbara S. Jones (Partner, Bracewell LLP). In addition to their many concerns about Dames, players told U.S. Soccer's investigator they felt the club's owner, Arnim Whisler, was insensitive and unresponsive to their concerns about Dames." 70, Multiple players described an incident in which Clarkson was "out of line" and created a culture of fear and anxiety. In response, the owner pointed out that the player was one of the highest-paid players in the League and discussed how club expenses came out of his own pocket. While the NWSL did not specify the reason for the fines, multiple reports indicated that they were the result of Red Stars co-owner Sarah Spain and then-Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue expressing their support for Gorden publicly on Twitter after the league had asked team staff members to refrain commenting on the incident. The head coach emailed club management, stating that the assistant coach wanted clarification on what 'likes' on Twitter are racist or offensive," and the club president replied, I'll handle w[ith] HR. Later that day, the head coach told club management that, The players are fine, emotions are high but they do not have any problem with [the assistant coach]." The staff member's account contradicts Predmore's claim that he was unaware of any issues with Benstiti until after Benstiti signed his contract on January 11, 2020. Don't ever leave me." Another player said that "it was clear [Holly] was not in an emotional place" to coach in 2017. As one player observed, the practice of drinking together erased the sense of boundaries between "players, coaches, and general manager[s]." 100 She was. NWSL. (iii) disruption of the team environment. Formation and Mandate of the Joint Investigative Team Yet, in responding to document requests from the Joint Investigative Team, the Thorns asserted the report was protected by attorney-client privilege and claimed they had shared it with U.S. Soccer in 2015 pursuant to a common interest agreement under which neither the NWSL nor U.S. Soccer would be permitted to share the report. More than one individual used the phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" to describe Holly, who exhibited patterns of hot and cold behavior that caused anxiety and uncertainty for players. Communicate Reporting Channels Regularly She showed the text message to a teammate to try to gauge Riley's intention. 115, C. The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy expands the scope of protections to prohibit discrimination based on any protected characteristic and to more explicitly prohibit retaliation. COVINGTON Another player also reported that Williams said, I'm going to ream her, I'm going to rip 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. For example, one former player explained, If I don't cover my man and they score, that might warrant screaming." Another Courage player told team leadership last year that Riley had been verbally abusive and created "a culture of fear.". At the same time, Spirit players reported that Burke also used the full N-word in recounting past racism against a family member; asked players if he should sing the "Black version" or "white version" of "Happy Birthday"; and joked, to a player wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt and who had a black eye, that "black eyes matter." Wilkinson did not follow up with Riley, staff, or players to confirm that his instruction had been followed. In December 2021, the Joint Investigative Team received a complaint about Clarkson and began an investigation. Furthermore, in at least one instance, players received potentially misleading information about the outcome of an investigation. You should be so thankful I'm part of your life. She recalled hearing Riley make negative "comments about players who [had] made the national team and then stopped doing favors for him. Players credibly reported to the Joint Investigative Team that Dames was "emotionally manipulative" and would use information about their personal lives against them. However, these surveys were not specifically intended to capture this information, and in multiple instances, the NWSL and U.S. Soccer failed to investigate or address comments from player surveys stating that club staff engaged in misconduct. 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 Holly also regularly made overtly sexual remarks toward players, both at Sky Blue and Racing Louisville, separate from the misconduct directed toward Simon. Coaching often requires split-second decisions and interactions during practice and games, without the time for deliberation or consultation, for example with HR. 3. Harrington was found to have "made inappropriate sexual and objectifying comments," and LaHue was found to have sent players inappropriate messages, the N.W.S.L. One player who witnessed this incident described that Dames's comments that had nothing to do with actually playing soccer" were constant." Harrington denied making these comments, and he stated that he never made comments about players' physical attractiveness and never "sexualized" players. Players also recalled that Dames would threaten to shred a player's contract or kick them off the team or out of practice if they made a mistake. These dynamics have been apparent in the League and beyond. The Business Case For Women's Sports: Ep.#11 The Rise of NJ/NY Gotham Shim declined, stating she needed to take care of a sick teammate. According to Temares's and Smoot's accounts, neither had the information necessary to share that others in Sky Blue leadership were aware of complaints that Holly screamed at and verbally abused players. During this time, Duffy, who had recently become NWSL president, and Levine, who had transitioned to the role of NWSL general counsel, worked with NWSL communications staff to prepare a draft public statement (which was never publicly released) related to the handling of sexual harassment complaints and the Riley investigation. She failed to take steps to protect players during the investigation, and ultimately failed to act on evidence of Dames's misconduct. Kurtz also reported in this meeting that Riley made "sexual comments to her and criticized her weight, including by calling her "chubby." Because the Joint Investigative Team was not tasked with imposing discipline on individuals accused of misconduct, it expresses no opinion on whether it would be appropriate to impose discipline for conduct that would have violated a policy that did not exist when that conduct occurred. Holly also verbally abused players and retaliated against those who raised complaints about him. It did not contain a carve-out that would allow the club to voluntarily disclose Holly's misconduct to law enforcement. The public revelation of Riley's misconduct and the systemic issues it exposed prompted outcry and action. Several individuals separately confirmed Benstiti was explicitly told he could not discuss weight or food with the players. The Joint Investigative Team recommends that the NWSL adopt additional measures to facilitate a safer, more inclusive, and more respectful workplace for players. Simon explained that after she confronted Holly for sexually abusing her, as discussed in greater detail above, Holly began verbally abusing her, including in front of other players. 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. One player said she felt that she could not breathe or think when Clarkson yelled at her as she was playing; another said she felt under the microscope based on the position she played and feared she would be cut from the team. Levine said after the player survey comments were shared with the club, the club moved Lines to a front office role. In particular, the Joint Investigative Team did not receive a copy of Dames's separation agreement from the Red Stars until the end of this investigation, after the publication of the USSF Report. . a) The New Jersey native is hoping to expand her horizons through overseas play. A second player credibly reported that Riley made comments regarding that player's weight and required her to report her weight to him daily. Gulati recalled that he was aware in 2014 that Dames offered his resignation to Whisler because of the 2014 player survey responses, but Whisler did not accept. Multiple players described coaches engaging in behavior that was perceived to be physically threatening to players, such as chasing players down to scream at them, screaming in Text messages between Whisler and Dames in the days following the complaint suggest that Levines approach to the investigation increased the risk of both retaliation against players and interference with the investigation. 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. Clarkson admitted speaking to players about drinking and professionalism, and although he understood that the players may have felt attacked, he denied "attacking" anyone. Where clubs had existing HR functions, those functions were frequently under-staffed, under-resourced, or ill-equipped to handle misconduct complaints. 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. 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. Alyse LaHue: Women's pro soccer is ready to ride the wave of a big It did not expressly prohibit retaliation against anyone for engaging in Protected Activity. A player similarly described Riley policing details, like players' off-field wardrobes, and described his behavior as creating a constant state of being on edge." To address these concerns, the League has recently taken steps to create more effective reporting channels, including by setting up an anonymous hotline and listing reporting channels in the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy. On October 10, 2022, the NWSL publicly announced that the Joint Investigative Team found that Cromwell and Greene engaged in retaliation and attempted retaliation, in violation of NWSL policy, against Pride players whom Cromwell and Greene believed had made or supported earlier misconduct allegations against them, and that Reis violated NWSL policy by not fully cooperating with the retaliation investigation. When Stanton started "bawling [her] eyes out," Dames told her, "Your response is making me feel better about the accusation." A few weeks later, on October 2, 2014, then-NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey shared a version of the USWNT players' comments with the Red Stars. As for the players, there is a hope that with this report finally coming out, all eyes can turn toward the future of the league. Players reported that by bringing players into a meeting with Holly, club management created a fear of retaliation which discouraged them from reporting further We don't have HR. Wahlke admitted that she did not share the findings and conclusions from the report with the NWSL or the Red Stars because the material was privileged. Days later, the assistant coaches told her that they had never complained about her attitude. Lack of Transparency with NWSL Clubs About Riley's Conduct The NWSL should continue requiring these background checks and should expand the background check requirement to all prospective club employees and volunteers who may interact with players and travel with the team, including medical staff, massage therapists, equipment managers, volunteer coaches, and volunteer trainers. The article also noted Horan's observation that Benstiti's insistence on weight loss was "more [about] how you were seen and not how it was helping you play. An April 2019 Adidas commercial focused on Horan overcoming her negative experience with Benstiti. Farrelly reported to the Joint Investigative Team that she did not go into the interview with Garcia planning to disclose that history and instead planned to respond to the specific questions asked. Train NWSL and Club Staff in Complaint Handling and TraumaInformed Investigation Best Practices While he sometimes yelled at her during practice, she described the yelling as a one and done; others he [would] stick with for a whole practice. Another player who felt positively about Dames similarly said that Dames would "pick on" certain players, "constantly criticizing their on-field performance." The club issued a public apology stating that it had "wrongly focused on signage policy and procedures, instead of allowing the important meaning of the message." While Dames affirmatively denied the allegation and said that he "let people go home all the time," the report provided no explanation for why the investigator credited his denial. 113 We must make the necessary changes based on the unprofessionalism and carelessness in the past in order to pave [the way for] a more mature and harmless future.. 55, making a statement to the reporter. Alyse LaHue. The training should encompass sexual harassment and harassment based on other protected characteristics, including but not limited to race, religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity. The entire article is accessible only to members of The Equalizer Extra. In multiple instances, coaches and staff accused of misconduct were able to find employment at other clubs despite losing their previous employment due to misconduct. Emails reflect that Messing raised concerns that a club was planning to hire a technical staff member who, based on Messing's understanding, was one of the most verbally abusive youth coaches around." Sky Blue FC's Alyse LaHue And for every role model out there, and every new one made, there's another awakening. Whereas Yates' report focused on three major storylines and perpetrators, the NWSL/NWSLPA joint investigation looked further, scrutinizing each of the 12 current NWSL teams, as well as historic complaints in the league. "We existed because [our owner] wanted a soccer team for his daughter. 4. alyse lahue relationship. 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."