A member of 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. On the evening of June 14, 2018, two days after the NWSL received the complaint about Dames, Levine and Duffy paused their investigation at Wahlke's request and informed the players they had contacted that they were "handing the matter off to an independent third party." One player recalled that Holly knew "every time [she] had people at [her] apartment, and a second player noted that Holly heard if players were playing loud music or things like that." The club fired Harrington on November 9, 2020. 8. While the temporary protocols mentioned only coaches, general managers, and team presidents, in practice, the NWSL directed clubs to submit for background checks all employees who work closely with players. 113 This trial and error process is what highlights need and in turn creates important policies and guidelines for stability in our infrastructure, Zerboni told Equalizer. 1. An attorney retained by the Thorns following the report by Shim did not conduct any interviews or otherwise play an active role in the investigation. After players reported concerns about Huw Williams's behavior around players, he was removed from his coaching role and moved into a scouting and player identification role. Simon explained that she would request to train or meet with both of them, but sometimes when she would arrive at their house, Pearce Rampone would not be there, and Holly would "always give a reason she wasn't there." The retreat involved drinking, with alcohol provided by Riley, and some players recalled that they felt the retreat was mandatory and that they could not leave. These comments constituted impermissible emotional misconduct because they had the potential to, and did, cause emotional and psychological harm by degrading, insulting, and belittling players based on their weight. Instead, according to the conclusion, Dames [had] made great strides in the last few years and improved tremendously as a coach," and "Whisler [had] taken demonstrable steps toward eliminating the stressors that may have contributed to Dames's bad behaviors." A former player told the Joint Investigative Team she believed the investigation was "inconclusive because no action was taken." C. Please be assured that we will carefully and thoroughly investigate this matter." Even if it were appropriate to only assess Riley's conduct under the legal standard for sexual harassment, no standard was set forth in the report and no explanation was given for the assertion that Riley's conduct was not "unlawful harassment." Ultimately, WPS terminated magicJack's franchise rights in October 2011. It looks like I'm going to have to do that again." Accordingly, she cooperated in the first, second, and third investigations into alleged conduct from April 2020 reported in June 2021. Plush stated that he did not share additional information because the investigation was ongoing at the time. As one player described, Riley made it seem like "he had a direct line" to the USWNT head coach, and so as a player "you were willing to do everything he said to get you there." Under the leadership of Commissioner Jessica Berman, the NWSL released an updated Anti-Harassment Policy, increased dedicated resources for receiving and handling reports of misconduct, and acted on the findings of the Joint Investigative Team by removing individuals who engaged in misconduct from their roles at clubs. The Thorns terminated Riley in September 2015, though his contract was set to end in December of that year. For example, players at the Thorns and at Racing Louisville were unaware that both clubs had designated full-time HR staff. Weight-Shaming by Farid Benstiti As described above, Nikki Stanton recalled that Dames said she was not playing well because of her girlfriend at the time. In some instances, players felt that the lack of boundaries made it difficult for them to differentiate between appropriate behavior and misconduct. When asked about this incident, Burke denied ever having yelled at a player who appeared to be experiencing a panic attack and explained that he always tried to make players laugh and feel comfortable before and during games. The NWSL also announced plans to launch a new position dedicated to player safety. According to Cone, Malik thanked her and expressed that he did not know what she was talking about, but that he would make sure players were safe. A third-party investigator conducted an investigation, and on July 8, 2021, the League concluded that Ms. Players Lacked Clear Guidance Regarding What Constituted Misconduct A spokesperson for Gotham FC provided Equalizer with the following statement regarding the handling of the complaint made against LaHue: NJ/NY Gotham FC ownership acted immediately upon learning of a confidential player complaint against former General Manager Alyse LaHue. Holly declined requests to be interviewed in this investigation. Many players reported that they feared instability both in terms of their own careers and the viability of the League, that they were advised to feel grateful to have the chance to play the game at all, and that they felt a personal responsibility to sustain the existence of the NWSL by keeping their heads down and their complaints unvoiced. One player who spoke up at the meeting and was subsequently traded shared that because she and other players spoke up, "[w]e all knew we were going to be traded." Historically, clubs sometimes conducted investigations into allegations of misconduct, and the NWSL was not involved in certain investigations. 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. The Thorns's handbook contains a similar Anti-Fraternization Policy which states that "[d]ating, romantic, and sexual relationships between players and staff and between managers and subordinates are prohibited." The article further reported that in 2021, Shim and Farrelly asked the NWSL to reopen the investigation into Riley, but that then-Commissioner Lisa Baird declined to investigate further. It didn't matter that the girls had other jobs-this team was their life." The club ultimately elected to retain Riley as head coach, but this decision was similarly affected by the Thorns's, U.S. Soccer's, and the NWSL's lack of transparency about Riley's misconduct. Another staff member at the same club was retained as a consultant after complaints that he made inappropriate comments and singled out players. For example, one player reported to The Washington Post that after she resisted inappropriate comments and invitations from Dames, he benched her and forced her to practice with reserve players, rather than the first team. Levine said after the player survey comments were shared with the club, the club moved Lines to a front office role. Players recalled being confused after this meeting and not understanding exactly why Holly had been fired. Players and staff members alike were often unsure of whether behavior rose to the level of misconduct and, even if they were able to identify behavior as misconduct, where to report it. Simon described Pearce Rampone as a close friend, and Simon said both Pearce Rampone and Holly were mentors to her "in soccer." On one occasion, Holly took her upstairs and began showing her film and discussing soccer, but then he searched for and showed her pornography. 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. Even where clubs did conduct background checks, the checks were in many cases narrow and limited to reviewing only a candidate's criminal history. On a different occasion, Dames called Stanton into his office and told her she was playing poorly. . Paulson told the Joint Investigative Team that Garcia conducted the investigation at the law firm's direction, though the exact nature of the firm's role is unclear because the Thorns withheld much of the relevant information from the Joint Investigative Team, claiming it is protected by the attorney-client privilege and is attorney work product. Non-contact physical behavior can also contribute to the creation of emotional misconduct. Riley agreed to try, and the Dash traded her back to the Thorns a week later. Some players and club staff explained that the apology was requested because players had violated COVID-19 protocols in the stands. Players reported that they felt confused by the information shared with them and did not understand exactly why Holly had been fired. He stated that he told Lines that Riley was a "good coach but definitely never stated" that he would hire Riley. 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. Investigators say they "reviewed approximately 200,000 documents.". LaHue is supportive of the ongoing reforms that are taking place in the NWSL, it said in part. The League should consider stronger restrictions on the use of such agreements in matters involving sexual misconduct or physical abuse. 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." 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."" In written responses to questions posed by U.S. Soccer and provided to the Joint Investigative Team, Flynn In June 2018, Levine met with Arnim Whisler and informed him that a player had raised a complaint against Dames. 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. In 2020 and 2021, James Clarkson emailed club staff, including the club president, in an effort to develop a mental health program to support players. 59, said that the staff member allowed the player "to get things reimbursed that didn't qualify" for reimbursement. d) The NWSL should ensure as part of its vetting process that prospective owners entering the NWSL express their personal commitment to protecting player safety, to combatting misconduct in all its forms, and to facilitating appropriate reporting of concerns. In response to the August 11, 2021 Washington Post article stating that Burke verbally and emotionally abused players, Levine told others at the NWSL that the League had not received any complaints about Burke, despite a face allegations of misconduct. In evaluating professional coaching standards, the Joint Investigative Team reviewed and considered professional and academic literature on verbal and emotional abuse in sport. Whisler responded to Bailey via email, I'm not sure how you want me to respond," and Bailey told Whisler she was "not looking for any response." Estes and O'Connor later joined the meeting. For example, when Burke announced he was 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. disparagement language in the agreement included a caveat, which allowed Holly to "provide his honest assessment of players on the Club team, solely as it relates to their performance as soccer players." b) Club Policies Inconsistently Addressed Romantic Relationships The NWSL's Non-Fraternization Policy states, "No person in management or a supervisory position with a Team or the League shall have a romantic or dating relationship with a League or team employee whom he or she directly supervises or whose terms and conditions of employment he or she may influence (for example, roster decisions, promotion, termination, discipline, and compensation). Most clubs do not address romantic relationships between club staff, or between club staff and players, in their employee handbooks. Weil, Table of Contents To ensure DEI initiatives are prioritized and effective at creating a more inclusive environment for all players and staff, the NWSL should consider creating a Diversity Advisory Committee dedicated to making DEI improvements within the League. Wahlke also showed USWNT General Manager Kate Markgraf-who was involved in hiring the USWNT coach and who told the Joint Investigative Team that Riley was never seriously considered-a document containing some of the allegations that had been made against Riley in 2015. Some players also reported that the SafeSport trainings are not applicable to professional women's soccer and are geared toward youth sports, with the trainings including examples of misconduct involving children. Second, the investigation found that players and club staff did not trust reporting processes or the league at large, so much so that it affected participation even in this investigation, which had the oversight of the players' union, the NWSLPA. While the organization cut back its spending in 2002 and 2003, it could not recover financially. Players from the team met with club owners Angie and Chris Long, and other club staff, to raise these concerns. On September 15, 2014, legal counsel for the USWNTPA emailed Gulati a memorandum of that meeting, which included a summary of Press's comments that Dames "created a hostile work environment." When Riley was Farrelly's coach prior to the NWSL, he coerced Farrelly into having sexual intercourse on several occasions. Riley continued his inappropriate conduct (both sexual and non-sexual) towards players while coaching for the Courage. The club fired LaHue in July 2021. Instead, these conversations occurred on an ad hoc basis and were left to individual clubs. Lisa Baird (NWSL, Commissioner, 2020-2021) Club policies should also inform individuals of the reporting channels listed in the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy and should remind club staff of their obligation to report potential policy violations to the NWSL HR Office or NWSL General Counsel. . In many instances, in the absence of League requirements for coach vetting, the NWSL and its clubs failed to sufficiently vet coaches before hiring them. One player explained that these were not always instances of "overt discrimination, but they add up over time and it makes you question your performance and your role in the team." Club staff and players reported that some staff members held meetings with players in staff hotel rooms, rather than in public meeting rooms. 32, and that for this reason, Riley would be disqualified from consideration. Multiple witnesses reported that coaches continued their weight-shaming behavior even after being warned by players and other staff that such behavior was harmful. Alyse LaHue was appointed as General Manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in April 2019 (then known as Sky Blue FC) and has been leading the club's dramatic turnaround since. Hammond said that he received only one offer, a lastround pick, which he felt was not adequate compensation given the investment the Courage had made in Kurtz. The Joint Investigative Team received reports from players that reflected concerns that Houston Dash Head Coach James Clarkson was engaged in ongoing emotional misconduct and insensitivity. One player referred to the environment as dehumanizing and dangerous. Historically, the processes and procedures for players to elevate concerns about club staff have varied across clubs. 27, Lines discussed Riley with Wilkinson, the decision to hire Riley had already "effectively been made." In some instances, close relationships between coaching staff and club management led players to feel they could not report concerns about coaches to management or vice versa. Players reported concerns about staff members drinking alcohol excessively with players. It provides a successful (albeit anonymous) example of this working in late 2021. The publication of this Report marks the conclusion of the Joint Investigative Team's mandate to investigate ongoing concerns of misconduct in the NWSL. A player described Riley saying to players, "You fucking idiot," and "You have no idea what you're doing, why the fuck are you on the field, and another recalled Riley telling a player, "You're the clumsiest fucking player I've ever coached." Work on the USSF Dames Investigation ended in September 2019, and the investigator's draft report was sent to Wahlke, but the investigation was never formally concluded. Paulson noted that Wahlke kept coming back to the determination of no unlawful harassment. The Joint Investigative Team found multiple flaws with both the summary and conclusion of the USSF Dames Report. The Joint Investigative Team was tasked with making recommendations regarding the League's processes for identifying and investigating complaints of misconduct and addressing violations of the League's anti-harassment and discrimination policies. Some within the NWSL held the misconception that SafeSport deals with misconduct against youth athletes and does not investigate misconduct against professional athletes. For instance, players reported that Dames mistreated one player in part because of "issues [he] had with her boyfriend," and the U.S. Soccer report detailed two incidents which players felt were indicative The player said she did not report Burke's abusive behavior to Baldwin because she "figured he'd go to [Burke] and [she would] get waived during the season." 58, imbalance between supervisors and their reports; (ii) the threat of favoritism; and Many players told the Joint Investigative Team that they defaulted to viewing the NWSLPA as the most trustworthy channel to receive and respond to player complaints. She was mindful of his ability to control her playing time or trade her to another team, and she felt she owed him because he had worked to keep her in Portland. . Paulson told the Joint Investigative Team that Garcia and an attorney presented the report to Thorns leadership. 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 2015 investigative report was never shared with either of the clubs that subsequently employed Riley. More broadly across the NWSL, several witnesses recalled instances when coaches and other club staff would confuse non-white players, sometimes repeatedly. The Joint Investigative Team requested an interview of Angie and Chris Long, and Angie Long sat for an interview. Whereas the Yates report intentionally focused on what it deemed the most egregious abusers, the joint investigation scrutinized more nuanced incidents of emotional abuse and power imbalances that caused players to report that they contemplated quitting, had panic attacks and, in some cases, needed therapy. Non-fraternization policies need to extend beyond just head coaches as demonstrated within the report with very critical language regarding relationships between players and staff. 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. 1. Press's complaint was not the first time she had raised concerns about Dames's treatment of players to U.S. Soccer leadership and staff. However, its high operating costs and failure to attract corporate sponsors soon began to cause financial strain. Nearly every player who spoke to U.S. Soccer's investigator said that Dames targeted certain players, criticizing them more often and with more severity than others. This behavior contrasted with other periods during which he would ignore Shim. 55 names revealed for FIFA FIFPro Women's World11 2019 . Hammond acknowledged that he did not follow up with Kurtz after the call to share any steps that were being taken or to see if there had been any improvement in Riley's behavior. On several occasions, the NWSL or clubs did not investigate racially insensitive conduct or attempt to improve conditions for players of color until allegations of racism were brought to the public eye, or until players pushed for a response. The staff member also said they brought up Horan's negative experience with Benstiti to Predmore in late December 2019 or early January 2020. According to Markgraf, Wahlke said that the Thorns had investigated the matter, and Markgraf understood from the conversation that Riley had been cleared and that his departure from the club was not related to the 2015 investigation. Vera Pauw shamed players for their weight and attempted to exert excessive control over their eating habits. While O'Connor could not recall what level of detail he provided related to Holly's misconduct, he recalled telling players that the player requested the club not "go into detail" and that the club would respect the player's wishes. The NWSL announced on October 3, 2021, that it had retained Covington to conduct an independent investigation into workplace misconduct within the League and to recommend reforms. Independence. 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." When one player opened the door, she told Harrington that she and her roommate did not want to go back out for drinks. We felt like charity," one player explained. Reis may not return to work until she has completed the mandatory training, acknowledged wrongdoing, and demonstrated a sincere commitment to modifying her behavior.
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