US Women’s Soccer Investigation Finds Systemic Abuse, Misconduct

Mar 11, 2020; Frisco, Texas, United States forward Megan Rapinoe (15) attempts a corner kick in front of the fans during the game between the US and Japan in the 2020 She Believes Cup soccer series at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Soccer: She Believes Cup Women’s Soccer-Japan vs United States

An independent investigation into the National Women’s Soccer League conducted by U.S. deputy attorney general Sally Yates has found a list of abuse, misconduct, and failures by several high-ranking officials, including coaches and executives, and the United States Soccer Federation.

On Monday, US Soccer released the full findings of the report into the allegations of abusive behavior and sexual misconduct.

“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. 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.” 

The report focused on three coaches in the National Women’s Soccer League including Racing Louisville coach Christy Holly, Portland Thorns coach Paul Riley, and Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames, all have left their respective organizations. The investigation began when a 2021 report from The Athletic detailed the misconduct behind the 2015 firing of Paul Riley, misconduct that was kept quiet and allowed Riley to be hired by another organization.

The report sheds light onto the misconduct of Christy Holly who was asked to resign in 2017 after complaints that he was “paranoid, ultra-aggressive, short-tempered, nasty, mean, patronizing, humiliating.” The report found that no one in the United States Soccer Federation had vetted Holly prior to his hiring or attempted to understand the reasons for his departure, recognizing a failure of the USSF to protect its players. 

USSF president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement that the findings were “heartbreaking and deeply troubling.” She continued to commit to meaningful change in the statement: “As the national governing body for our sport, U.S. Soccer is fully committed to doing everything in its power to ensure that all players – at all levels – have a safe and respectful place to learn, grow and compete. We are taking the immediate action that we can today, and will convene leaders in soccer at all levels across the country to collaborate on the recommendations so we can create meaningful, long-lasting change throughout the soccer ecosystem.”

The comprehensive report that consisted of over 200 interviews of current and former players found that the league and the teams lacked basic safety and protocol to protect its players. “Teams, the League, and the Federation not only repeatedly failed to respond appropriately when confronted with player reports and evidence of abuse, they also failed to institute basic measures to prevent and address it, even as some leaders privately acknowledged the need for workplace protections.”

The report has caused shockwaves throughout the NWSL and the USSF as executives reacted to the report and committed to necessary change. Some of the new changes implemented in the United States Soccer Foundation include establishing a new office to oversee conduct policies and reporting, publishing soccer records to identify disciplined individuals, and standard background checks for all levels of the game.

The United States Women’s National Team Players Association also released a statement that reminded that all players and employees deserve safety. The joint statement ended: “Finally, although it should not have taken an independent investigator to bring light to these practices and to recommend common sense reforms, USWNTPA urges USSF to implement the recommendations immediately, and it stands ready to work with its partners at the NWSLPA, FIFPro, USSF, NWSL, and FIFA to prioritize player safety across the sport.”

The Yates report will certainly continue to shine light on the allegations of abuse and misconduct and hopefully continue to make change for all levels of players in employees of soccer leagues in the United States.