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. Shim had joined the Thorns during the NWSL's inaugural 2013 season, prior to Riley's hiring. 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. 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. LaHue participated in an initial interview with the Joint Investigative Team but canceled a second scheduled interview and declined the Joint Investigative Team's repeated requests to reschedule. b) Failures of Background Checks Another player said that Pauw was able to monitor players and would tell them they could not go to the pool in the afternoon. 111, VI. Pulling off the feat of moving to Red Bull Arena has been a longtime goal for LaHue. The group, including Thorp, went to Riley's apartment, though Thorp left shortly thereafter. Second, the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy requires each club to designate two individuals to receive reports of potential violations of the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, at least one of whom must be an individual other than the Board of Governors representative and the head coach of the club. Players reported in the USSF Dames Investigation that the dinners were inappropriate, in part because Dames's open favoritism had a negative impact on the team dynamic. 4. Levine did not report Riley to SafeSport between its creation in 2017 and the publication of the Athletic article. Simon said she moved away from Holly when he touched her and told him he was "insane." Players also emphasized that Dames often focused his yelling on fringe players, who started in some games but not all. As a result, several players felt that they needed to apologize for participating in or failing to stop the March Investigation. 9. Multiple players recognized the frequency of these invitations and communications as "not normal and "inappropriate." Furthermore, he instructed Benstiti to bring any dietary or weight-related concerns to another staff member, who could have conversations about diet and fitness with players. The new report expands on many of those topics, though only relating specifically to occurrences in the NWSL era. During the 2014 season, Riley belittled Shim, calling her names, commenting on her weight, and making unusual remarks, such as telling her in front of others that he would like to "squish her" against a wall. Press had first shared concerns about Dames in a September 9, 2014, meeting of USWNT representatives from the NWSL. The latest report also focuses on racism and microaggressions in a way that the Yates report did not. Leadership training and coaching could provide coaches with skills to better communicate with players and other staff, motivate players, collaborate with other staff, and resolve conflicts within the team. One player for the Dash noted that the HR representative primarily worked for the MLS team and was unfamiliar with the reporting channels for the women's team. Players reported to the Joint Investigative Team a wide range of misconduct, including many instances of misconduct that have not been previously reported. When the club held a call with players and staff to share the results of the investigation, however, the message left players and staff with the incorrect understanding that none of the reports against Cromwell and Greene were substantiated, that no remedial actions were taken to address their behavior, and that the club was standing by the coaches. "Misconduct against players has occurred at the vast majority of NWSL clubs at various times from the earliest years of the league to the present," the report states, referencing instances of inappropriate sexual remarks to players by staff in positions of power, blurred professional boundaries, and manipulation. Burke told the Joint Investigative Team that he was a demanding" coach and acknowledged that he could be "profane" at times, but he adamantly denied that his behavior was abusive toward players. The NWSL should strictly enforce the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy's requirement that complaints or reports of potential policy violations be elevated to the NWSL within 24 hours of receipt to ensure the NWSL is equipped to investigate promptly and immediately take interim measures to protect players as needed. Whisler said he then proceeded with the trade based on "soccer reason[s]" after consulting with the League. Sky Blue FC's game at Red Bull was a success, but only the first step Levine denied receiving a readout or final report of the investigation and assumed if something material came out of it," the NWSL "[would have] been made aware." The Joint Investigative Team found no evidence that any of the 2020 player survey responses were elevated to Levine or anyone working in HR at the League. 8. Ex-Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley fired from NWSL team amid allegations of sexual misconduct, Joanna Lohman was fooled by Paul Riley in Philadelphia, where he allegedly coerced her teammates, Megan Rapinoe criticizes Paul Riley, who briefly coached her on the Philadelphia Independence, Equalizer Soccer reported the anti-harassment detail, U.S. Soccer promises action after Yates investigation details abuse and sexual coercion in NWSL, California residents do not sell my data request. The agreement provided that if Holly or the club breached the non-disparagement clause, the other party would be entitled to a payment of $5,000. The failure to fully share information between stakeholders in women's soccer was also an issue during the USSF Dames Investigation. Already a member? One player, asked to differentiate between a coach she considered abusive and one that she considered a tough coach, stated that the abusive coach had a "power-craving take on coaching." 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." Shim, feeling pressured and placed on the spot, kissed with Simon had just graduated from college, and after an open tryout, Holly offered Simon her first professional contract to play for Sky Blue, where he was the head coach. Some individuals did not know reporting incidents of misconduct to SafeSport was an option at all. With regards to Dames's treatment of players, one player recalled, "It wasn't like, 'Hey, bad pass.' The same day, on August 15, 2019, Duffy forwarded the Thorns's attorney's 2015 email, along with the Thorns's investigative report and its supporting attachments, to then-U.S. Soccer Chief Legal Officer Lydia Wahlke. At first, she thought the offers were "nice" because she did not "know what the boundaries [were]." For instance, a member of the NWSL office expressed concern in February 2022-over two months after the temporary protocols were implementedthat there was still "confusion" over whether certain members of club staff 71, their faces, and gesturing in a threatening manner in their faces. Burke generally denied being verbally abusive, but acknowledged repeated examples of using demeaning and belittling language. One player explained that it took her several years to realize that Riley's treatment of players on the Courage was manipulative, and that other coaches don't treat people this way." When Starr asked Simon how Holly had touched her inappropriately, Starr recalled Simon stating that Holly had "put his hands down her pants" while watching film at the stadium, and that if she "messed up," Holly would "hold it against her." In particular, the NWSL's "temporary protocols do not require the use of a reputational check. Consider Establishing Guidelines Regarding Socializing Between Players and Individuals with Supervisory Authority Sky Blue FC: Ed Nalbandian new minority owner, Tammy Murphy named e) Insensitivity Toward Mental Health Later that night, Bates texted Starr informing her he spoke to Racing Louisville Executive Vice President James O'Connor and Racing Louisville President Brad Estes about the sexual harassment, and they needed to know who the player was. The player survey changed significantly in 2020. In January 2020, Simon left West Ham and signed with the Dash. Simon said that during her first year playing at Sky Blue, nothing "out of the ordinary" happened. Player Reports of Misconduct During the USSF Dames Investigation 4. She also played soccer through college at St. Ambrose U But public reporting around misconduct against NWSL players has increased in recent years. The revised policy should state that waiving players, trading players, or buying out players' contracts could be retaliatory and a violation of the policy if a motivating factor for the player transaction is the player's engagement in a Protected Activity. In a public tweet the day of Holly's departure, the club wrote, "You were always an amazing asset to Sky Blue FC, and words cannot ever express how much we appreciate everything that you did for us." 21, not done with other deleted emails. After speaking with Levine, the HR employee-understanding Levine and Baird would conduct a follow-up investigation in light of language in Farrelly's email indicating she was raising new allegations-responded to Farrelly, thanking her for reporting and stating, "We take these claims very seriously and do not tolerate any form of harassment within our League. Whisler said that Wahlke called him for "just a couple minutes" when the investigation ended, and that on this call, he was not informed of the need for "dramatic remediation" and there was no suggestion that Dames "shouldn't be in the [NWSL]." Sports and The New York Times, published articles detailing her experience at PSG. When the Thorns received Shim's complaint in 2015, the club conducted an investigation that was too narrowly scoped, that was not conducted in a trauma-informed manner, and that lacked follow-up on indicia of additional sexual misconduct towards Sinead Farrelly or on comments by Riley regarding players' sexual orientation. The NWSL should provide clear guidance to players, club staff, and League staff addressing how to use the program and clear examples of disputes that are appropriate for the program. One player referred to Riley as verbally abusive. The findings included information on what led to the firing of former Sky Blue/Gotham FC General Manager Alyse LaHue in July 2021. Williams acknowledged that club leaders also identified to him specific players who organized the meeting, although he did not know all the players who participated. Our players respect what Holly does as a coach and how he treats other players, coaches, and staff." 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. The first departure occurred in August 2020, when Royals owner Dell Loy Hansen sold the club after reports surfaced that he had made racist comments. Players told the Joint Investigative Team that Dames threatened them, saying he would shred a player's contract or kick them off the team or out of practice if they made a mistake. The announcement finally came on July 16, about a termination that happened on July 9. In response to player requests for the improvement of conditions and resources at clubs, players were often reminded that they ought to be grateful, even when players sought benefits or allowances included in their contracts. Several players reported that following this meeting, Williams began to treat certain players negatively. 44, words, speaking to individuals who were critical of Dames and those supportive of him. 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. Historically, clubs sometimes conducted investigations into allegations of misconduct, and the NWSL was not involved in certain investigations. B. During the conversation, Levine also noted that Riley was a "well-respected coach" in the NWSL. To conduct the training, the NWSL should consider engaging a third party with expertise in anti-racism, antisemitism, and DEI in the professional sports context. (2) The NWSL should re-open investigations when appropriate upon obtaining additional relevant information. 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. Anonymous results from an annual NWSL player survey conducted in 2014, and described in greater detail below, also indicated similar misconduct by Riley. USWNTPA Executive Director Becca Roux, who helped Press bring her complaint, told the Joint Investigative Team that Wahlke "called [her] and said nothing was fireable offense, but she received no factual findings from the investigation until November 2021. Plush's email summarized Lines's report of a conversation with Wilkinson, in which Wilkinson brought up what he referred to as the human resource issue, said Wilkinson felt Riley "was put in a bad position by the player," and said Wilkinson would hire [Riley] in a heartbeat. According to Plush's email, Lines had spoken with Riley, who told Lines, "I shouldn't have put myself in that situation." The club encouraged Simon to consider When interviewed by the Joint Investigative Team, Burke admitted making these comments but did not acknowledge their offensiveness. In the player survey, Thorns players anonymously commented that Riley "ripped/yelled at players in a hurtful, non-productive way," was "verbally abussive [sic]," and would "call [players] dumb, stupid, slow, idiotic, retarded, we have no balls, we will never be better than the average 16 year old boy, worthless." Please be assured that we will carefully and thoroughly investigate this matter." Two people used the phrase Jekyll and Hyde" to describe Holly. Whisler received a copy of the organizational climate review on November 21, 2021, and recalled that he was "repulsed" by the findings. E. These documents included organizational and policy documents related to the clubs, as well as documents related to specific reports of misconduct and subsequent investigations. I just played for [my team]. Several players noted that Burke's conduct was very open, including in front of team staff and management, and that numerous players were uncomfortable with his conduct. He frequently texted Shim, even though she did not always reply, sometimes asking her to come to his apartment or turning the conversation to her sexual orientation. Hammond recalled telling Kurtz in a phone call that the Courage were not able to find a trade for her. Limitations and Challenges After re-signing her in 2021, the club issued a public apology "to all those we have hurt, especially those within the LGBTQIA+ community, but stood by its decision, keeping Daniels on the team for the remainder of the season. 25, advice of legal counsel. Texts between the player and Burke indicate Burke spoke to her supportively at one point in or around June 2020 about her During the meeting, Holly was reportedly fidgeting and "fumbling over his words." Before the season, Holly invited Simon to his home on two occasions to watch film, telling her that Pearce Rampone would be there. The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy tasks the NWSL with investigating all complaints of misconduct. First, the summary stated that Dames appear[ed] to need guidance on when and how often it is appropriate to text players and the best way to provide constructive feedback. Second, the summary noted that "Dames and Whisler should be concerned about the mere appearance" that Dames had an inappropriately close relationship" with one player. 6. The USSF Dames Investigation surfaced several concerns about Dames, but those concerns were not appropriately investigated or addressed. Burke also engaged in multiple instances of conduct that included stereotyping and jokes about Jewish people. On the evening of the announcement of LaHue's firing from Gotham, a statement was provided by Kelly Hoffman, attorney for Alyse LaHue via Meg Linehan of The Athletic on Twitter reading: "Ms. LaHue denies the allegations made against her and will make no further comment." No further information was made public until October 2022. 22, b) You had no job security, a player explained. Coaches' behavior may cross the line into emotional misconduct when their criticisms are divorced from performance-related or corrective language, including by using insults or derogatory language to criticize players, attacking characteristics of players that are unrelated to their professional performance, or threatening players' careers. 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. Simon described Pearce Rampone as a close friend, and Simon said both Pearce Rampone and Holly were mentors to her "in soccer." This league, eventually named the National Women's Soccer League, began play in April 2013. Until 2017, the NWSL front office had five or fewer full-time staff members, and it did not have a dedicated HR staff member for players, who are NWSL employees, until June 2019. 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. Reflecting on the prevalence of player-staff relationships, one player asked, "Has the policy changed? II. Multiple current and former players from the Kansas City Current raised concerns that Head Coach Huw Williams retaliated against players for participating in an August 2021 meeting with other club leaders, including club owners Chris and Angie Long. The findings, however, were not effectively communicated to Pride players or staff. Historically, there was no established process for sharing information about misconduct complaints or investigation findings among U.S. Soccer, the League, and clubs. The Joint Investigative Team identified and examined facts relevant to potential abuse or misconduct against players by those in positions of power in the NWSL and its member clubs. Coupled with the fact that Clarkson served as both head coach and general manager, this perceived close relationship led players to feel like they had no avenues to report their concerns and that no one was monitoring Clarkson's conduct to ensure that it was appropriate. The player called this behavior an example of how Holly was manipulative. Club staff and players also recounted that Riley went out drinking with players and would buy them drinks, which some players, without experience with other coaches or clubs, assumed must have been normal for professional soccer. This policy provides additional instructions regarding the reporting of complaints." Markgraf also told the Joint Investigative Team that a player subsequently warned Markgraf not to hire Riley and left Markgraf with the impression that Riley was a "bad guy. Shim reported that at his apartment, Riley offered her wine and placed his hand on her leg. 86, attempt to address the issue themselves by confronting the employee engaged in misconduct, which could prevent the NWSL from investigating the offensive behavior and taking necessary corrective action. Dames's conduct was also often personal. As publicly reported, the Joint Investigative Team recommended the suspension of Houston Dash Head Coach James Clarkson in April 2022 and of Orlando Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell and First Assistant Coach Sam Greene in June 2022, while investigating reports of their misconduct, which were ultimately substantiated. When the investigation concluded in September 2019, Wahlke failed to share relevant information about the investigative findings with the NWSL or the Red Stars, citing U.S. Soccer's privilege as the rationale for not sharing this information. 53, indicating he wanted to go to Simon's apartment and describing "inappropriate things he would do." The Courage's policy stated that [d]isciplinary action, up to and including discharge, will be taken against any employee engaging in sexual or other unlawful harassment." Some players recalled that a former assistant coach, while at a club-sponsored party where he was drinking heavily, made sexually explicit remarks to players. A player recalled that she and her teammates were not sure whether to provide negative feedback about coaches in anonymous player surveys because they were doubtful that their comments would be taken seriously. Starr recalled that a couple of weeks later, she met with Simon again, and Simon informed her that the abuse had been "going on for a while." LaHue was appointed as general manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC (formerly Sky Blue FC) in September 2019, and has been credited with playing a major role in turning the club around, both on and off the . The NWSL's predecessor leagues-the Women's United Soccer Association ("WUSA") and Women's Professional Soccer ("WPS")-both buckled under financial pressures. 7. As a result, the creation and enforcement of policies and in some cases, investigations and the communication of their findings-fell through the cracks. However, Benstiti did not comply with that directive. Some players reported feeling that the incident left them feeling attacked, scared, and on edge. These players' clear descriptions of particular experiences with Dames call into question the report's conclusion that players "struggled to articulate what they meant." The larger point is that if the environment at [the Red Stars] was different, and were perceived as one of mutual respect and professionalism, these issues would likely not be issues." as leverage to manipulate players. One player recalled that at Dames's suggestion, she spent more time socializing with players identified as Dames's favorites. The world of professional soccer, and professional sports more broadly, presents unique questions about what constitutes inappropriate conduct by coaches and other staff. Another player described being yelled at by another coach to the point where the player could feel [the coach's] spit almost in [her] face. A player at another club described a coach getting "really close" to her face during a game and screaming and cursing-conduct she had observed the same coach repeat with another player. One player recalled Riley demanding that she lose 10 to 15 pounds in a month. 78, reasons for the waiver/contract buyout and other proposed waivers, several additional considerations supported the conclusion that retaliation was a motivating factor. For example, in one incident, Clarkson likened an injured player's stride to that of a "lame horse," and laughed when she jokingly responded, "So should I shoot myself?" Examples of prohibited verbal conduct include epithets; derogatory comments or slurs; negative stereotyping; and jokes, kidding, or teasing about another person's protected status. Greene also made comments to staff members about reporting, including that she was going to find out who started the March Investigation and "get to the bottom of it," and that staff members should bring issues to the coaching staff, rather than club management. Dames also texted a player after a fundraising event they both attended and told her that she looked nice that evening. The League received reports of misconduct by Dames, but the League did not follow up on the results of the 2018 U.S. Soccer investigation into those reports. This Report, prepared by Covington in collaboration with Weil, summarizes that joint investigation and offers recommendations for systemic reform. The League should be transparent with players about progress and should provide players with a formal platform where they can share ongoing concerns with management and the Board of Governors. According to an external review conducted by the Red Stars in 2021, players described Dames "as 'condescending', manipulative', 'aggressive', 'insulting', [and] an intimidator."" Since U.S. Soccer did not adequately disseminate the findings to the NWSL, the NWSL did not take any disciplinary or corrective action toward Dames. The entire article is accessible only to members of The Equalizer Extra. Two people, former Gotham FC General Manager Alyse LaHue and former Utah Royals FC head coach Craig Harrington, were handed two-year suspensions from the league. In spite of this, there is no evidence that Levine provided the Flash with additional details about Riley's past conduct. As one former player described, "It was almost like [the coach] was trying to break down [my teammate's] confidence so that she would not even be playing for the team. A Spirit player stated that rather than engaging in constructive criticism, Burke would "[go] at [her teammate] just to get her to cry." Plush said he subsequently spoke to Joe Sahlen over the phone in December 2015 reiterating that the club should not hire Riley. More broadly across the NWSL, several witnesses recalled instances when coaches and other club staff would confuse non-white players, sometimes repeatedly. Duffy was also aware there was an ongoing investigation at the Red Stars, but the Joint Investigative Team found no evidence the NWSL requested updates regarding the investigation or requested the final investigative report, and Levine acknowledged that she interpreted the lack of update from Wahlke as a lack of material negative findings concerning Dames. Conclusion Sources: Alyse LaHue out as Gotham FC general manager : r/NWSL - reddit According to Novo, after his conversation with ownership, he met with Holly and told him it was "time to move on." Multiple players and club staff interviewed by the Joint Investigative Team also expressed distrust of the League, concerns about confidentiality, and fear of retaliation for participating in the investigation. Riley agreed to try, and the Dash traded her back to the Thorns a week later. The new investigation alleged that LaHue had a romantic interest in an unnamed player, and published text messages between LaHue and that player. These dynamics have been apparent in the League and beyond. The Current's employee handbook states that employees "should not be employed in positions with supervisory responsibilities over the work of any family member or other person with whom the employee has a romantic or similarly close relationship," but it does not clarify if this applies only to relationships between club employees, or whether it also applies to relationships between club employees and players, who are NWSL employees. When Simon arrived at Holly's house, Pearce Rampone was not there. Simon recalled being excited to play for Racing Louisville but also "terrified" because of Holly's past behavior toward her. To encourage participation and transparency with responses, the NWSL should take steps to ensure the surveys are anonymous. Inappropriate Intimate and Sexual Interactions with Players "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. 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. 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. In another instance, a player reported that Clarkson angrily asked her, "How the fuck are you so unprofessional," when she had to come out of a game due to an injury. The Joint Investigative Team contacted and attempted to interview every individual who was the subject of a report of misconduct and whom the Joint Investigative Team considered naming in this Report.

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