From her perspective, the concerns about Dames were not an emergency situation because the players identified as Dames's primary targets were no longer with the team" and the issues involved "older conduct." Players Experienced an Array of Interpersonal Misconduct and Reports of That Misconduct Were Mishandled. 6. One player said it felt "like the lid came off" when the pressures of being head coach combined with Holly's personal life. For example, one player recalled reaching out to an owner regarding a housing stipend that clubs could provide to players. The Joint Investigative Team also reviewed the practices and policies in the NWSL and its member clubs related to identifying, investigating, and addressing such misconduct. Independence. When he spoke to the investigator, Whisler indicated that he was aware of players' concerns even before Press's complaint. The policy, however, then states that [i]f a dating, romantic, or sexual relationship between a player and a staff member or between staff members develops, it must be disclosed to Human Resources" to allow the club "to take steps to protect the interest of [the] organization and the parties involved, which seems to suggest exceptions may be made to the policy. Players told the team's head coach that Black players on the team felt unsupported and that the posts did not align with the team's values. To keep costs under control, U.S. Soccer would provide funding for the League front office, pay the salaries of USWNT players, and pursuant to the Management Agreement, administer management, governance, operational, administrative and advisory services. Under the Management Agreement, the League was subject to U.S. Soccer's decision-making in operational areas such as sponsorships and marketing, operations, player affairs, communications, and legal. As U.S. Soccer General Counsel, Lisa Levine received Shim's September 2015 email containing allegations against Riley on the same day Shim sent the complaint, and Levine received updates about the Thorns's 2015 investigation regarding Riley from the outside counsel hired by the Thorns. 110, D. 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. The player told Predmore she understood. 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. Clarkson denied making this comment to a player. Around 2020, the NWSLPA took on a more active and public role in advocating for player safety and well-being. Malik told the Joint Investigative Team that he thought at the time that Riley's drinking with players in 2015 was unacceptable" for a coach of the USWNT U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and Clubs Failed to Adequately Share Information Regarding Misconduct Long did not indicate that she was concerned about potential retaliation against the players who spoke up at the meeting. Club leaders should have a plan to model and implement their commitment to player well-being, and the NWSL should vigilantly guard against leadership behavior that may discourage reporting or suggest disregard for player safety. Several players and staff described Clarkson's mood as unpredictable or hot or cold, leading players to feel like they were walking on eggshells around him or would not know what to expect in terms of his attitude on any given day. Vice President Alyse LaHue, who previously served as GM for the Chicago Red . Craig Harrington, the former Utah Royals F.C. Riley targeted Shim in other ways as well. One person who works with players in the League mentioned that she had seen text messages to other players from coaches that engaged in such emotional manipulation. It can be argued that Alyse LaHue, general manager of the soccer team formerly known as Sky Blue FC, was herself the rebrand that became official this . In the commercial, she discussed a time when she beat all of her teammates in a physical fitness test but her coach said, in front of the whole team, Lindsey, you're not going to play in any games until you lose more weight." In written responses to questions posed by U.S. Soccer and provided to the Joint Investigative Team, Flynn 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. These thematic findings form the basis for the recommendations set forth at the end of this Report. Among the new revelations about specific individuals, those regarding Houston Dash head coach James Clarkson stand out. As a result of these failures, in multiple instances, players reported experiencing difficulty or confusion in reporting concerns of inappropriate behavior. Leaders within U.S. Soccer and the NWSL, including the Board of Governors and club management, must lead the effort in building back trust with players and creating a safe working environment for all players. They told O'Connor that they would really appreciate if this was kept confidential." However, it is far from the only misconduct experienced by players. On August 16, 2017, Sky Blue announced that Holly was "stepping down" as head coach, and the club said it had come to a mutual agreement with Holly" and that he left "on good terms." Players and former assistant coaches said that Holly would "ream" out players, verbally attack[] them, and play mind games. Holly retaliated against players who resisted his unwanted advances or complained about his conduct. Given the scope of the Joint Investigative Team's work, the Team considered it appropriate to evaluate historical misconduct under the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, which reflects the NWSL's current approach to these issues. For much of the NWSL's history, the NWSL and many of its clubs did not employ any designated HR staff. Multiple current and former players from the Current raised concerns that Williams retaliated against players for participating in the meeting with ownership, both by mistreating players who complained and by taking actions to remove them from the club. Gulati told the Joint Investigative Team that he believed he read the player survey results, but he did not recall being aware of 2014 player comments that indicated Riley was verbally abusive. 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. The League should also require that any non-disclosure and non-disparagement provisions allow for the disclosure of information to law enforcement. You should be so grateful for me. B. Among the suggested actions is involving players in hiring processes more formally and establishing information sharing among clubs. Additionally, the club put out a statement via Twitter addressing the report as a whole. 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. Simon said she moved away from Holly when he touched her and told him he was "insane." Club Statement on NWSL/NWSLPA Report pic.twitter.com/ATZPBk1pxc, The Philadelphia Inquirer published a statement they received from LaHues lawyer, Kelly Hoffman following the release of the Joint Investigative Report on Wednesday. As an example of this favoritism, another player 64, beliefs and goals as a player. 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. Harrington also stated "with 100% certainty" that he never [did] and would never enter a player's room." 97 According to the report, she denied the allegations. Nor do I have any independent recollection of who, if anyone, at the USSF reviewed these surveys, if the USSF had any policy or practice regarding who must review them, what follow-up actions should be taken in response to the surveys, and/or what information was shared with the NWSL teams." During this investigation, Racing Louisville initially refused to allow witnesses to discuss substantial aspects of Holly's employment and termination, citing the severance agreement's mutual non-disparagement and non-disclosure provisions. The response from League leadership to 2015 survey results regarding Aaran Lines stood in stark contrast to the response to the survey results regarding either Riley or Dames. In practice, players reported issues to someone at their club because they had more day-to-day interactions with club personnel, who were more akin to the players' actual employers. New subjects include details on why former Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue was fired in July of last year. More specificity is needed, investigators concluded, to provide examples of how ostracizing players or denying playing opportunities could fall under the definition of prohibited behavior. Nearly every interviewee agreed that Clarkson was not adept at tailoring his coaching style to particular players' needs or reactions, and that he failed to recognize or appreciate when certain players did not respond well to his coaching style. 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 Even when provided with anonymous reporting channels during the course of this independent joint investigation, including through the NWSLPA, some players expressed skepticism that reports would be appropriately handled due to historical distrust in the League. According to an outline prepared by players before the meeting, their concerns included comments made during training, like I'm going to ream her ass," and "you are a pain in my ass," demeaning players' abilities, and telling players, "I do this [drill] with my 12 year-olds" and "I do this with my U14s," which players felt did not afford them respect as professionals. U.S. Soccer's 2018 investigation into Dames's conduct surfaced several concerns about his interactions with players, but minimized the breadth and severity of these concerns and failed to protect players during the 16 months it took to complete the investigation. Two players said they sought therapy. The same player recalled that Dames would discuss another player's boyfriend frequently in the locker room and would make it known that he hated the boyfriend. For example, coaches often must raise their voices to be heard across a field. A third Courage player recalled that she "had a lot of really hard coaches growing up, including her college coach, and wondered, "Do I even know if I've been abused?" Cromwell also sought to waive or trade other such players. She told Clarkson during a water break shortly after entering that she had to come off the field due to her injury. Revise the Anti-Harassment Policy to Include the Non-Fraternization Policy O'Connor defended the club's approach, saying he told the players that everyone would get together to discuss their concerns. 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. 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. During the Pride's investigation, players corroborated these reports, although the investigation did not support some of the reported conduct, and Cromwell and Greene were given written warnings. In his interview with the Joint Investigative Team, Clarkson exhibited a lack of candor. Getting a massage." Craig Harrington (Chicago Red Stars, Assistant Coach, 2018-2019; Utah Royals, Head Coach, 2020) On October 6, 2021, NWSL teams returned to play for the first time since publication of the Athletic article. For example, Angel City's policy as of 2021 stated that it was "committed to providing a workplace free of sexual or any form of unlawful harassment, discrimination, or retaliation based on protected characteristics." Weight-Shaming by Farid Benstiti When asked about this, the lawyer who led the investigation for U.S. Soccer said the issue of whether to take intermediary action "was not discussed with [her]." 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."" Please sign in below. . Holly complained to Simon about Hendrix and referred to Hendrix as a "cockblock." Hendrix also heard from a teammate that Holly had been speaking negatively of her to club staff. Harrington responded that he reviewed his phone records, but he could not verify how the player contacted him. Red Stars General Manager Steps Down - Hot Time In Old Town The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy prohibits a range of misconduct. A player who raised concerns about Dames's treatment of players to Whisler in 2021 recalled that Whisler told her, Yes, I had this conversation with Rory a couple years ago to reel him back in. None of the individuals interviewed by the Joint Investigative Team who had contemporaneous knowledge of Riley's misconduct, and who were in positions to take action at the Thorns, U.S. Soccer, or the NWSL, appeared to appreciate the seriousness of the misconduct, or viewed Riley as a danger to players, until Shim and Farrelly went public in 2021. Wilkinson responded that the trade was "purely a player move that made sense." Joint Investigation Reveals Why Alyse LaHue Was Fired from Gotham FC 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. A report detailing the results of the year-long investigation was published Wednesday, a little over two . Some players and staff (other than Cromwell and Greene) were left with the incorrect understanding that none of the allegations had been substantiated, that no remedial actions were taken to address Cromwell's and Greene's behavior, and that the club was standing by the coaches. Multiple players and club staff reported that in 2017, while Holly was head coach of Sky Blue, he began dating Pearce Rampone. Both Williams and Angie Long recalled the club trying to find a trade within the NWSL for one player, but being unable to find a trade partner. E. Enhance Reporting and Investigation Procedures E. Players Lacked Effective Channels for Reporting Inappropriate Her investigation included interviews of Riley, Thorp, and four players; three of these interviews-including the interview of Farrelly-lasted 30 minutes or less. On other occasions, Riley texted Kurtz about being at bars. 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. Sexual misconduct, as used in this Report, is a broad term intended to encompass a range of conduct, including conduct that could be described as sexual assault, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment. Despite receiving players' reports of verbal and emotional abuse by Dames, she took no action to suspend Dames or otherwise prevent further misconduct during the investigation. Another player described the way Riley spoke disparagingly about players' weight to another coach, in the open, where other players overheard. As a result, several players felt that they needed to apologize for participating in or failing to stop the March Investigation. In a statement shared by her attorney, LaHue said she is supportive of reform in the NWSL but takes issue . Williams proffered non-retaliatory justifications for the transaction to the Joint Investigative Team. Reis was placed on unpaid administrative leave and is required to participate in mandatory training regarding retaliation, discrimination, harassment and bullying, and must participate in mandatory executive coaching. Alyse LaHue joined the Chicago Red Stars eight years ago as an intern under Peter Wilt and then-GM Marcia McDermott. 1. Players from other clubs shared similar sentiments: for example, players from one club said they feared a coach would retaliate if they reported concerns about him because they had seen him lash out" at players during meetings and because he had once removed a player from the roster after an on-field disagreement. Players reported Williams apologized to the team the day after the meeting, but players felt the club did not take action to address players' concerns after the meeting. 87, When the NWSL distributed its Anti-Harassment Policy in April 2021, it was not accompanied by any training. This appears to be in part due to uncertainty surrounding which entity or entities bore responsibility for developing policies of this nature. The League and its Clubs Often Have Not Sufficiently Vetted Coaches and Staff Significant gaps exist in the NWSL's revised background check requirements. 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. Although U.S. Soccer told Duffy and Levine that U.S. Soccer's outside counsel would investigate the reports, and Duffy said she received one or two updates about the investigation, there is no evidence that Duffy requested additional updates regarding the investigation or its outcome. Pauw appeared for an interview with the Joint Investigative Team, but refused to cooperate. Riley's attitude changed during the early 2015 NWSL season, when he began texting Shim often, asking her to coffee during road trips, and inviting her to watch game film with him to identify areas for improvement, sometimes changing the location of film-watching to his apartment. 6 The new investigation alleged that LaHue had a romantic interest in an unnamed player, and published text messages between LaHue and that player. The 2015 Thorns Investigation was poorly handled in key respects. One player remarked that rumors [got] around" because of the player-staff relationship, and a staff member said that while you could articulate a policy of "church and state . The NWSL has not consistently offered anti-harassment training to players and club staff beyond the SafeSport trainings. NWSL staff responsible for reviewing player survey results were not trained on how to handle player survey responses suggesting misconduct against players. Hendrix, who knew about the abuse, also stated she and Simon did not report to the club's HR, because they did not realize that's the person you would talk to about sexual abuse," and they did not know the HR employee well enough to feel comfortable talking to her about the abuse. The training for players should address appropriate communication between coaches and players, including soccer-specific constructive criticism, and should provide examples of conduct or scenarios that professional players could potentially encounter. Christy Holly (Sky Blue, Assistant Coach, 2013-2015 and Head Coach, 2016-2017; Racing Louisville, Head Coach, 2020-2021) 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. Through her attorney, to The Athletics Meg Linehan, LaHue denied the allegations that got her terminated. 1. Kurtz was not the only player to share her experiences with Courage management after the Athletic article was published. I didn't accept it." Precious little information has been available about what went down between LaHue and Gotham. F. The training should advise that the NWSL does not tolerate inappropriate jokes that are sexist, racist, antisemitic, homophobic, bigoted, or that target any protected characteristic. O'Connor responded, Confidentiality in our culture suggests it is an issue which is either illegal or immoral," and the players responded that it did not fall into those categories. Multiple individuals confirmed that Benstiti addressed the players to criticize their diets and weight. She did recall discussing one of the transactions with Williams and that he offered a soccer-related reason for the transaction. In general, players felt that the line between tough coaching and emotional misconduct is crossed when it becomes an attack, versus a criticism."
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