Investigation finds ‘systemic’ abuse of players, while NWSL, USSF stayed silent

The National Women’s Soccer League and U.S. Soccer failed to take action against "pervasive" and "systemic" abusive behavior and sexual misconduct, according to a report released Monday by former U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates.

“And no one at the teams, League or the Federation demanded better of coaches,” the report from the year-long investigation of the NWSL stated.

During the past two years, eight NWSL coaches, one coach who was also general manager and one general manager resigned or were removed from their posts after allegations of inappropriate actions. Eight were men.

OPINION: Thorns, Red Stars owners need to go in light of damning report on abuse in NWSL

The report from the independent investigation contained more than 300 pages detailing allegations and recommending actions for the league and U.S. Soccer.

Here’s what we know about the investigation and lack of player protection in the NWSL:

What happened?

In September 2021, The Athletic reported former NWSL players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim alleged their former coach, Paul Riley, sexually harassed and coerced players for a decade. Riley denied the reports, but was quickly fired from his team in North Carolina. A few days later, NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird resigned.

There were reported incidents against other coaches in the league prior to the public allegations against Riley — including the firing of Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke after allegations of verbal and emotional abuse and Racing Louisville FC coach Christy Holly — and a league-wide chain reaction followed.

Two days after the public reports of Riley's misconduct, U.S. Soccer hired Yates and King & Spalding LLP to conduct an independent investigation.

The investigation focused on three former coaches, Riley, Holly and Rory Dames of the Chicago Red Stars.

The investigation’s findings started with recounting an April 2021 encounter between Holly and a player, Erin Simon, who now plays in Europe. Holly invited her to watch game film with him and allegedly told her that for every pass she messed up, he was going to touch her. Simon told investigators Holly “pushed his hands down her pants and up her shirt.”

The report also described allegations that Dames screamed profanities, questioned sex lives and asked for massages from youth players during his time as coach of the Eclipse Select Soccer Club.

"We heard report after report of relentless, degrading tirades; manipulation that was about power, not improving performance; and retaliation against those who attempted to come forward," the report said. "Even more disturbing were the stories of sexual misconduct. Players described a pattern of sexually charged comments, unwanted sexual advances and sexual touching, and coercive sexual intercourse."

In addition to allegations of abuse and misconduct by coaches, the report also stated that in certain situations teams covered up abuse reported by players, specifically in the case of Riley and his team at the time, the Portland Thorns. Some allegations date to the inception of the league in 2012.

Last fall, players from NJ/NY Gotham FC, Spirit, NC Courage and Racing Louisville stopped six minutes into their games, linking arms in a circle at midfield. It was a league-wide protest of the failure to protect players.

"The reckoning has already begun,” the NWSL Players Association said in a statement on Oct. 6, 2021. “We will not be silent. We will be relentless in our pursuit of a league that deserves the players in it."

What did the report find?

Summary of Findings:

• From the League’s inception, teams, the NWSL, and USSF failed to put in place basic measures for player safety.

• Abuse in the NWSL was systemic.

• Abusive coaches moved from team to team, and even to U.S. Soccer, because teams, the League, and U.S. Soccer failed to identify and inform others of coaches’ misconduct.

• A culture of abuse, silence, and fear of retaliation perpetuated the misconduct.

• Players lacked job security and protection from retaliation, further chilling reports of misconduct.

• Abuse in women’s professional leagues appears rooted in youth soccer.

The investigation included more than 200 interviews with current and former players, coaches, owners and fronts office staff. U.S. Soccer also provided documents and Yates' firm reviewed 89,000 deemed likely to be relevant.

"Our investigation has revealed a league in which abuse and misconduct — verbal and emotional abuse and sexual misconduct — had become systemic, spanning multiple teams, coaches, and victims," the report said. "Abuse in the NWSL is rooted in a deeper culture in women’s soccer, beginning in youth leagues, that normalizes verbally abusive coaching and blurs boundaries between coaches and players."

Not all teams were forthcoming during the investigation. The Portland Thorns "interfered" with access to "relevant witnesses and raised specious legal arguments in an attempt to impede" use of relevant documents. Racing Louisville FC refused to produce documents and did not permit witnesses and the Chicago Red Stars delayed the process of presenting necessary documents.

Furthermore, the investigation found a repeated failure by teams, the NWSL and U.S. Soccer to "respond appropriately when confronted with player reports and evidence of abuse," as well as a failure to "institute basic measures to prevent and address" such behaviors.

What's next for the NWSL?

Yates provided a list of recommendations for the league and federation moving forward. While under the current organization structure U.S. Soccer has limited control over individual teams, the federation does have oversight of the league. Yates recommended the NWSL take responsibility of the teams and U.S. Soccer step in when necessary.

Recommendations from Yates:

• Teams should be required to accurately disclose misconduct to the NWSL and U.S. Soccer

• to ensure that abusive coaches do not move from team to team.

• U.S. Soccer should require meaningful vetting of coaches and, when necessary, use its

• licensing authority to hold wrongdoers accountable.

• U.S. Soccer should require the NWSL to conduct timely investigations into allegations of

• abuse, impose appropriate discipline, and immediately disseminate investigation

• outcomes.

• U.S. Soccer should adopt uniform and clear policies and codes of conduct that apply to all

• Organization Members and are found in single place on USSF’s website.

• U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and teams should each designate an individual within their

• organizations who is responsible for player safety.

• U.S. Soccer should strengthen player safety requirements in professional leagues.

• U.S. Soccer should require the NWSL to implement a system to annually solicit and act on

• player feedback.

• U.S. Soccer should collaborate with its youth member organizations and other stakeholders

• to examine whether additional measures are necessary to protect youth players

• The NWSL should determine whether discipline is warranted in light of these findings and the findings of the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigation.

What is the response from players, NWSL and US Soccer?

In response, U.S. Soccer said Monday, it "will immediately 1) establish a new national Office of Participant Safety, 2) publish soccer records from SafeSport’s Centralized Disciplinary Database, and 3) mandate a uniform minimum standard for background checks for all U.S. Soccer members."

U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone also issued a statement.

"As a former player, as a coach, as the president of soccer’s national governing body, I am heartbroken by the contents of the report, which make clear that systemic changes are needed at every level of our game," Parlow Cone said. "The abuse described in the report is entirely inexcusable and has no place in soccer, on or off the field. Along with everyone at U.S. Soccer, I am squarely focused on the changes we will make to address the report’s findings and make soccer safer for everyone."

The NWSL said it was immediately reviewing the report. The league and NWSL Players Association are also conducting an investigation.

"We recognize the anxiety and mental strain that these pending investigations have caused and the trauma that many — including players and staff — are having to relive," the league statement said. "Establishing trust and confidence between the League, its players, and other key stakeholders remains a central focus for the NWSL, and we know that we must learn from and take responsibility for the painful lessons of the past in order to move the League into a better future.

"The NWSL/NWSLPA joint and independent investigation into misconduct against players in the league is ongoing. We have asked the Joint Investigative Team to consider the recommendations set forth in the Yates Report when making their recommendations to the NWSL. Moreover, we have asked the Joint Investigative Team to review — and investigate as necessary — the findings in the Yates Report when concluding their report."

Many players participated in an ESPN E60 documentary, discussing the league's handling of abuse and player safety. The 90-minute episode will air Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

And the NWSLPA released a statement saying its joint investigation with the NWSL is ongoing and its goal is to "marshal all the facts to inform evidence-based recommendations about how to advance the goal of a league centered on player safety.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NWSL, US Soccer failed to stop systemic abuse, investigation finds