Bipp Classes Collin County, Shim Sham Step Sheet, Why Is My Eraser White In Procreate, Articles A

At the same time, the Thorns claimed legal privilege over the very information that would be responsive to such inquiries, creating barriers for the NWSL and U.S. Soccer to disclose what the investigation revealed about Riley's misconduct. A former player told the Joint Investigative Team she believed the investigation was "inconclusive because no action was taken." Players were asked to rate on a scale of one to five their satisfaction with: (i) facilities; (ii) technical staff knowledge and skill; (iii) logistics and accommodations; (iv) club organization; and (v) overall experience as a member of their NWSL teams. Both players and club staff reported being unsure what conduct violates the Anti-Harassment Policy and what is required under that policy. It's across the League. When Riley was head coach of the Thorns, after a night out drinking alcohol with Thorns players, Riley brought Shim and Farrelly to his apartment, made additional alcohol available, tried to grind" against Shim, and told Farrelly and Shim that if they kissed each other, the team would not have to run an intensive fitness drill that week. There are some interesting suggestions in the report, too, including a call for the NWSL to establish and enforce a policy discouraging the use of nondisclosure and non-disparagement agreements "in circumstances involving alleged or substantiated misconduct under the Anti-Harassment Policy." And while the coaches offered some purported legitimate, non-retaliatory 1. The Joint Investigative Team sought evidence from U.S. Soccer in the form of relevant documents and interviews of current and former U.S. Soccer employees. Reis may not return to work until she has completed the mandatory training, acknowledged wrongdoing, and demonstrated a sincere commitment to modifying her behavior. One player recalled that Riley hosted a similar trip for Flash players at his Long Island property when he later coached that club. Because there was no requirement for clubs to consult former colleagues and players in the hiring process, clubs took an inconsistent approach and often collected only limited information about individuals' past conduct in the League, contributing to the issue of "recycling" individuals accused of misconduct into roles at other clubs. The NWSL began requiring background checks of prospective coaches and other club staff, and it has begun efforts to offer an anti-harassment training for players, coaches, and League and club staff. 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. In 2019, several media outlets, including Yahoo! And Levine, in spite of having been kept apprised of the Thorns's investigation in 2015 and having read the investigative report, did not take Shim's and Farrelly's 2021 complaints to the NWSL regarding Riley seriously; in fact, Levine drafted responses on which Baird-who had no prior familiarity with the 2015 investigation-relied to respond to Shim and Farrelly and essentially decline to inquire into Riley further. investigation. Over time, she felt that Dames was learning details of her personal life" from these players and felt the need to "distance herself" from them. 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. As another example, League staff were unsure whether data from player surveys-which at times detailed incidents of coaches' misconductwere ever shared with the relevant clubs. Harrington denied making these comments, and he stated that he never made comments about players' physical attractiveness and never "sexualized" players. 120, An explanation of the reporting channels should also be a key component to antiharassment training, anti-bullying training, anti-retaliation training, and any other trainings the NWSL or clubs provide. Cromwell's, Greene's, and Reis's conduct could discourage players and staff from reporting misconduct in the future, and their conduct, therefore, directly contradicted the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, which aims to detect and prevent misconduct, protect players and others from retaliation for engaging in Protected Activity, and create a safe working environment for players. 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." . In an email, LaHue's counsel described the allegations against LaHue as "false claims." The player stated that Burke's lack of emotional control was "very regular." One Courage player reported feeling that the club was moving in the right direction in 2021 after the firing of Riley, but that the club's signing of Daniels was a decision that "says a lot" and did not "align with the direction we thought we were heading in. 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. 7. For the player, the offer "was weird" and not appropriate." Following the revelations of Riley's sexual misconduct on Sept. 30, 2021, the NWSL and the NWSLPA separately sought to conduct investigations. In December 2012, the Red Stars officially hired Dames as its first head coach in the newly-formed NWSL. After the meeting, the team captains followed up with Clarkson and reportedly told him that his conduct had scared players. While the report summary downplayed players' concerns in spite of the evidence, it credited Dames's and Whisler's explanations of events without further scrutiny. Three players said that they heard Dames make racist remarks, including referring to black players as 'thugs and telling one Black player that she was acting like a gang member after a game in which [she] played aggressively." Towards the end of the interview, she told Garcia that she was afraid of what Riley could do to her career, noting Riley "ha[d] contacts, help[ed] players play overseas, [and had] big ties." b) Staff Living in Player Apartment Complexes It has become more apparent that the influence and control coaches hold over players and their careers increase the risk that abuse will occur in the first placeand that if it does, players will fear the repercussions of reporting that abuse. Club owners, coaches, and general managers from Utah Royals FC, OL Reign, NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, Racing Louisville FC, and later, the Chicago Red Stars departed their clubs following reports of misconduct towards players, including overtly racist conduct, verbal and emotional abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. One player on the bench reported that she did not recall those specific words, but recalled Clarkson reacting with "disgust on his face" while the injured player "was visibly crying and upset." They told O'Connor that they would really appreciate if this was kept confidential." She explained that her job responsibilities were limited to coaching the national team, and she did not have a role in oversight of NWSL coaches. Another player said that "it was clear [Holly] was not in an emotional place" to coach in 2017. Another player said she did not know who at her club she would report to if she heard a staff member say something racist, and she was not sure it would be the same person she would go to if she heard a staff member engage in other forms of emotional abuse. Club staff designated as the individuals to receive reports of potential misconduct should regularly meet in person with players-without coaches and other club staff present-to explain their roles and reporting procedures. B. Third, Dames made personal insults, and the summary stated, these comments in a professional environment are concerning." Misconduct in the League is not wholly independent from abuse that begins in youth soccer, where many coaches' and players' formative experiences shaped the way they engaged in, or reacted to, misconduct and abuse in the NWSL. In January 2018, Dames informed Whisler that he could lower the pay for two staff members because those staff members would earn additional income working for Eclipse. Founded in 2012, the National Women's Soccer League (the "NWSL" or the "League) has enjoyed success as the longest-running professional women's soccer league in U.S. history. 69, that would allow us to travel home." During Holly's tenure as head coach, players reported to Sky Blue management that Holly was verbally abusive, but the club took no action in response to those reports and ultimately failed to share accurate information about Holly's conduct both with the League and other clubs. 113 Plush was aware in September 2015 that Sky Blue was interested in hiring Riley, and he stated to the Joint Investigative Team that he told Sky Blue not to hire Riley. Establish Guidelines Addressing Appropriate Meeting Locations for Oneon-One Meetings Between Club Staff and Players Burke also used racial slurs, made racially insensitive and offensive jokes, and undermined and discouraged activism on issues of race. 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. While recent efforts have been made to streamline the reporting and investigation procedures, the NWSL could take additional steps to further streamline and improve these procedures and communicate them more clearly to all players, club staff, and NWSL staff. 62, "massive" suite in his hotel room. D. Whether the conduct was severe or repetitive and whether it was intentional are factors that may influence this analysis. Simon recalled Holly often telling her when he tried to cross boundaries that if she would "loosen up" and "have more fun" off the field, it could "help her on the field." (The league has not always used that specific title. Enhance Reporting and Investigation Procedures. An additional reputational check-which would involve additional research into the candidate, including interviews with references and other contacts-is not required, but can be conducted at the club's election. Other clubs in the NWSL pursued Riley after it became known that the Thorns would not retain him and in the absence of any public information indicating that he had been terminated for cause. 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. The anti-bullying, anti-harassment, anti-racism, and anti-retaliation trainings should remind players and staff of the reporting channels available to report misconduct, including law enforcement where appropriate. Until now, the only reported detail was that LaHue was the subject of a complaint filed under the league's anti-harassment policy. In addition to the specific incidents and individuals discussed above, players and staff members across a variety of teams described a general fear of retaliation for reporting concerns or otherwise taking action protected by the Anti-Harassment Policy. "The continuation of ongoing investigations initiated under the NWSL's current antiharassment policy, and the recommendation of sanctions where appropriate." Maybe. As noted above, the Thorns asserted privilege over the report in responding to Provide Mandatory Annual Anti-Bullying Training The Joint Investigative Team also posted these reporting lines on the NWSL webpage and in the League's Anti-Harassment Policy. The League office cooperated fully with this investigation, provided all necessary resources, and granted the Joint Investigative Team full autonomy to follow the facts and evidence wherever they led. On the other hand, some thought Clarkson handled the situation well and reported that he later expressed his support and apologized if he had appeared insensitive. Predmore said he told Benstiti that his comments were not appropriate and that he was not permitted to have a conversation with any players about diet, nutrition, or fitness under any circumstance. Dames also texted a player after a fundraising event they both attended and told her that she looked nice that evening. For example, he would ask Shim to come to his apartment to review game film, and on two occasions, she went. During that time, Lines spoke with Wilkinson, Lines's former teammate on the Portland Timbers and the New Zealand national team, regarding Riley and his suitability for the head coach role. The NWSLPA and the League began collective bargaining in late 2020, and Meghann Burke was hired to a full-time position as the Executive Director of the NWSLPA in early 2021. These threats, or even the perceived risk of waiver for raising concerns or expressing disagreement with clubs and coaches, signaled to players that they were dispensable. The Joint Investigative Team found strong evidence to corroborate players' concerns about Whisler. Baird told ESPN that reading the article was the first she ever heard of accusations of sexual abuse against Riley. Offensive and Insensitive Behavior Related to Sexual Orientation Similarly, the sex occurred only when Farrelly and Riley had come together for soccer-related activities, such as after Riley invited Farrelly to dinner to discuss her 2012 soccer contract. Two other players said they felt that Dames gathered information about their personal and romantic relationships and used the information he learned about their personal lives as a tool for manipulation. 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 Courage understood Riley had denied this allegation. The NWSL should not rely on clubs to voluntarily share this information with other clubs. Clarkson then demanded hotel security footage (which investigators said he did not get) and reprimanded the team for drinking before a game, although player maintain they did not. Predmore confirmed that during the 2020 Challenge Cup, he was informed by a staff member that Benstiti made comments to a player about the quantity and type of food the player was eating during a team meal. 37, harshly criticized Kurtz's weight. It did not expressly prohibit retaliation against anyone for engaging in Protected Activity. 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. 1. Club policies should state clearly that all club staff are also subject to the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy, which goes beyond merely prohibiting unlawful harassment. . 1. 13, In November 2021, The Washington Post published an article reporting that Rory Dames, head coach of the Red Stars and the longest-tenured coach in the League, had been verbally and emotionally abusive towards players, and that U.S. Soccer had failed to adequately investigate and respond to reports of his misconduct. "A review of the available investigative reports related to all historical complaints of discrimination, harassment, or abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual) in the NWSL, and where necessary, a reopening of the respective investigation, or the initiation of a new adjudication process. 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. Clarkson denied 3. According to Garcia's interview notes, her interview with Farrelly lasted only 30 minutes, though Farrelly recalled it being even shorter. Players directed similar criticism to the processes that led to the hiring of Richie Burke, Farid Benstiti, Christy Holly, Vera Pauw, and Paul Riley. 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. She also feared Holly would ruin her career. OL Reign's July 2021 announcement that former OL Reign Head Coach Farid Benstiti had resigned from the club made no mention of his disparaging comments. Another staff member at the same club was retained as a consultant after complaints that he made inappropriate comments and singled out 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. Also that same day, Levine reported Riley to the U.S. Center for SafeSport (an organization that investigates reports of abuse and misconduct in athletics) based on information that was then publicly available. He stated that the club sought to address Simon's concerns through the severance agreement, including by securing Holly's removal from his apartment in a complex shared by Simon and requiring that Holly not disparage players or the club.