The club had asked the NWSL to run a standard background check on this potential hire but did not request a reputational check. Alyse LaHue (@alahue) September 23, 2019 So as much as LaHue has enjoyed coming into Manhattan for the AdWeek panel and then hanging around to talk about the upcoming game (and maybe. What follows is a high-level summary of the Joint Investigative Team's findings related to these key individuals and entities. Revise the Anti-Harassment Policy to Define Retaliation More Clearly Such a requirement would mandate additional research into the candidate, including interviews with references, former players at youth, professional, and other levels, and other contacts. Farrelly reported to the Joint Investigative Team that she did not go into the interview with Garcia planning to disclose that history and instead planned to respond to the specific questions asked. 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. Embrace Player Insight as Part of the Hiring and Vetting Processes 83, required NWSL vetting, and this person raised concerns that clubs may not have been submitting all hires for screening. Another Spirit player pointed out the disconnect between Burke's verbal attacks and constructive performance improvement: Burke "would pick on someone, and then he would see they were playing worse because he was picking on them, and pick on them more. Previously, Alyse spend five years as the GM of the Chicago Red Stars. E. Enhance Reporting and Investigation Procedures Multiple players reported that Holly complimented a Racing Louisville player about her hair in one of her Instagram photographs; she was wearing a bathing suit in the photograph. Several Dash players expressed concerns with Clarkson serving as both coach and general manager, noting that players "[could not] talk to our general manager because he's our coach." On an away trip to another state, she asked Dames for permission to visit her parents, who lived in the state. However, it is far from the only misconduct experienced by players. The NWSL should contact an applicant's former employers and, where feasible, former colleagues. 3. The Management Agreement executed between the NWSL and U.S. Soccer on December 12, 2012, established U.S. Soccer as the manager of the NWSL. . She also asked him not to speak to one player implicated in the complaint about the complaint until the League had the opportunity to call that player, but Whisler refused to comply, saying that th[e] situation has the potential to destroy team chemistry." 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. Other players also pointed to the developments of the past two years, and in particular, the implementation of the NWSL AntiHarassment Policy, as positive signs of a cultural change. One player recalled a specific comment Dames made about "her attractiveness." He also reportedly told a male player on an opposing Major League Soccer team that Hansen could lynch the player, supposedly in an effort to ask the player to play for Hansen's team. And as discussed above, in some cases, Riley's practice of holding meetings in hotel rooms did in fact lead to boundary-crossing interactions with Shim. The Joint Investigative Team recommended temporary suspensions only where it had a factual basis to believe that interim action was warranted to protect players from imminent harm, prevent retaliation, or prevent interference with the investigation. 3. Multiple players recalled former Thorns Head Coach Paul Riley informing players that he could influence their national team call-ups. While the League itself cannot dictate changes to settings outside its purview, such as youth soccer or other leagues, it can implement reforms to the policies and practices within its control, which will in turn allow the League to serve as a standard-bearer and blueprint for other institutions. Washington Spirit This information suggested that Riley might pose a danger to players, but the Courage did not take adequate steps to learn the findings of the investigation, reflecting a lack of appreciation for the power dynamics between players and coaches, and the Courage employed Riley despite knowing of this allegation. Club staff and players reported that some staff members held meetings with players in staff hotel rooms, rather than in public meeting rooms. The NWSL should store all certifications in a central location. The player had reported to one member of the coaching staff, but not to Clarkson, that she was feeling ankle discomfort before a game. The NWSL should consider requiring clubs to conduct exit interviews of players who depart the NWSL and to share these exit interview notes with the NWSL. In one instance, players reported that Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell and Assistant Coach Sam Greene ignored a player who was having a panic attack. The statement reads in part, Ms. Shim later stated, I'm just so grateful for this opportunity to get these bad people out of the League and really shine a light on this issue because it's so prevalent. 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. The failure of clubs, at least in some instances, to submit coaches and staff for required vetting may reflect both confusion on the part of clubs as to which staff members require NWSL vetting, as well as a lack of controls over that process. Multiple players told the Joint Investigative Team that they felt disconnected from the NWSL or did not know who at the NWSL to contact if they experienced misconduct. We discussed them at length in his interview." concerns. 2. Second, the repeated assertion that the 2015 Thorns Investigation did not reveal unlawful harassment by Riley is troubling. A. I'm going to watch what you eat," and the other recalled One club's player representatives expressed frustration that those investing in Holly pulled Pearce Rampone from the starting lineup following the fight, but once they resolved their conflict, he put her back into the lineup. Christy Holly engaged in sexual misconduct and made inappropriate sexual comments to players. How a trailblazing female general manager transformed the worst 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. She said he told her, "Let's meet and talk," and, "If you're up really late, you can come talk to me." The conclusion mentioned none of these concerns. Players Misconduct within the NWSL-and a failure to adequately investigate allegations of misconduct and take measures to prevent further misconduct-has contributed to players' lack of trust and confidence in U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and its member clubs. 2. In essence, that's part of building trust, you have to create transparency. Regarding confidentiality, O'Connor stated repeatedly that confidentiality was at odds with the club's culture of trust" and "transparency," and that there was no need for confidentiality in reporting unless there were issues that were "illegal or immoral." Hendrix also heard from a teammate that Holly had been speaking negatively of her to club staff. Leaders from U.S. Soccer avoided taking responsibility for systemic failures to protect players, contending that decision-making authority and the responsibility to address misconduct lay with the NWSL and club owners. For the player, the offer "was weird" and not appropriate." Leadership training and coaching could provide coaches with skills to better communicate with players and other staff, motivate players, collaborate with other staff, and resolve conflicts within the team. In a statement shared by her attorney, LaHue said she is supportive of reform in the NWSL but takes issue . 112 The League should be transparent with players about progress and should provide players with a formal platform where they can share ongoing concerns with management and the Board of Governors. NWSL and NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team . - NWSL investigation finds 'ongoing misconduct,' details culture of abuse. The League added seven expansion teams, and four teams were rebranded or relocated. Furthermore, he instructed Benstiti to bring any dietary or weight-related concerns to another staff member, who could have conversations about diet and fitness with players. The Courage never received a copy of the report or learned the full findings, which also discussed Riley's other serious misconduct. For example, when Riley was terminated from the Thorns in September 2015, the club's public announcement merely stated that Riley would not be retained as head coach for the 2016 season. 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. 6. According to a player at the first club, the staff member used [their] power to help th[e] player" they were dating. All NWSL staff, players, and club staff, including coaching staff, are required to take a 90-minute SafeSport Trained Core Course, which includes training on sexual misconduct awareness and education, mandatory reporting, and physical and emotional misconduct. Players reported that certain coaches expressed disgust towards players' weight. The club policies also failed to address NWSL reporting requirements. December 14, 2022 It acknowledged that the League had a "need to know," and that an "allegation that a head coach has acted inappropriately toward a player is obviously of concern to the League." On multiple occasions, instances of misconduct reported to U.S. Soccer, the League, and its member clubs were inadequately investigated or addressed. The NWSL also announced plans to launch a new position dedicated to player safety. On November 4, 2022, these findings were conveyed to the NWSL, NWSLPA, Thorns, Wilkinson, and the player involved. The NWSL's Founding, Initial Success, and Challenges They warned Predmore that he [needed] to double check on Benstiti's comments to Horan and noted that they were "flagging it for him. The report makes a number of suggestions on guidelines that can create this stability moving forward for the league. Novo explained that before this happened, players approached him and requested a meeting to share concerns about Holly. Plush stated that he never told Malik that Riley was "cleared" or in "good standing." She added that it was possible her performance had in fact decreased because she was not comfortable with the situation. After the 2015 Thorns Investigation commenced, Plush followed up with Shim by email, notifying her that the League was monitoring the investigation and stating, [If] there is any additional information that you wish to provide me, separate from what you have discussed with Portland's human resources manager, or if you have concerns about the investigation, please feel free to reach out to me directly." On the day Dames resigned, Whisler texted him Players reported that by bringing players into a meeting with Holly, club management created a fear of retaliation which discouraged them from reporting further When one Spirit player tackled a teammate during practice, Burke went off out of nowhere," calling the player a "fucking asshole" and a cheat." In the 2015 player survey, several players made negative comments about Flash Head Coach Aaran Lines. Many players emphasized to the Joint Investigative Team that they are willing to take tough coaching, or as one player put it, "harsh criticism with direction." The responsible drinking policy should also state that the NWSL expects all NWSL staff, club staff, and players to exercise good judgment and professionalism when drinking alcohol with colleagues outside of official NWSL or club events, and that alcohol will never be accepted as an excuse for engaging in misconduct toward staff or players. 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. There should be specific trainings tailored to club staff, including coaches, and players. Several players said that Holly dating Pearce Rampone also affected the way he treated other players. When the League initiated an investigation into a complaint against Dames in 2018, Whisler spoke directly to Dames about the complainant and created the risk that Dames would retaliate against the player. to any third-party that denigrates, disparages, criticizes, Numerous individuals reported that Cromwell and Greene stopped speaking to players who they believed had supported the allegations under investigation and who did not apologize to Cromwell and Greene for their participation in the March 2022 investigation. Players reported that club staff living with players allowed the staff to exercise control over players' personal lives. One player, asked to differentiate between a coach she considered abusive and one that she considered a tough coach, stated that the abusive coach had a "power-craving take on coaching." In another instance, a player reported that Clarkson angrily asked her, "How the fuck are you so unprofessional," when she had to come out of a game due to an injury. Farrelly later recalled that she did not feel she was treated by Garcia as someone who had been targeted by Riley on the night of the kiss. She spent 5 seasons as General Manager of the Chicago Red Stars of NWSL and was the first woman to lead a men's USL PRO team as GM . Soccer." At the other end of the spectrum, another club "leaned on the League to run the background checks" or, in the case of its head coach, "did not do that vetting because in the soccer community, [the coach] was such a public and well-known figure." Through these interviews, the Joint Investigative Team gathered evidence from players in every active and former NWSL club. In another example, Paulson recounted that when he spoke to Wahlke about the 2015 Thorns Investigation when U.S. Soccer was considering hiring Riley as a coach in 2019, Wahlke focused on the fact that the investigation had found no unlawful harassment. The lead investigator told the Joint Investigative Team that she believed Dames's "excessive yelling, unpredictable behavior, and singling out players for constant criticism . During the USSF Dames Investigation, players reported multiple instances of Dames using racist language, including calling a Black player a thug and describing her as "acting like a gang member." Those who had known Dames for a long time acknowledged that his "behaviors ha[d] improved," but the review stressed the importance of "consider[ing] the severity of the starting point as context for growth in behavior." Riley continued his inappropriate conduct (both sexual and non-sexual) towards players while coaching for the Courage. 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. Players were frequently reminded of the fragility and financial instability of the League. This is partly due to institutional factors; SafeSport only has jurisdiction over reports concerning NWSL coaches or staff who hold U.S. Soccer coaching licenses. 75, Benstiti saying that he would replicate his "very strict monitoring and measuring [of Horan's] weight and what she's eating" with the club's players. The Business Case For Women's Sports: Ep.#11 The Rise of NJ/NY Gotham She also feared Holly would ruin her career. Ryans three-year deal with Gotham highlights a shared commitment to making the team a Girma is everywhere she needs to be at exactly the right time. In March 2021, Morgan sent a letter representing 240 NWSL players to then-NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird. Players on NWSL clubs are NWSL employees, while coaches and other team personnel are club employees. In October 2022, the Thorns made witnesses available for additional interviews with the Joint Investigative Team. Some individuals did not know reporting incidents of misconduct to SafeSport was an option at all. 2. The Thorns acquired Farrelly on January 13, 2014, a month after the club named Riley head coach. 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 . 4. A staff member recalled that during the 2020 season, a player made overnight oats for breakfast, and Benstiti told her in front of other players, "You don't need those oats. When LaHue was named GM in April, her first big goal was to re-establish a relationship with the fanbase, which had been very vocal about ousting former Sky Blue president and GM, Tony Novo. 120 The League should consider requiring that clubs certify that they have revised their anti-harassment policies to meet the baseline requirements of the League's Anti-Harassment Policy and that they have disseminated their policies and the League's policy to all staff and players. 62, "massive" suite in his hotel room. amounted to verbal and emotional abuse." Club and U.S. Soccer personnel repeated the Thorns's characterization of Riley's conduct as poor judgment for years. Holly also sent Simon videos of himself masturbating on Snapchat. Trainings should be streamlined and consistent, and should be mandatory for League staff, club staff, volunteers who regularly interact with players, and players across all clubs. She failed to take steps to protect players during the investigation, and ultimately failed to act on evidence of Dames's misconduct. The same player emphasized that "continuous commitment to anti-racism is important" and the burden should not be on Black players to educate others. There is more history." 109, result of the failure to share information, the NWSL, the Red Stars, and players were left with the impression that Dames's behavior was deemed acceptable by U.S. Soccer. To help address these concerns, players were invited to ask the Joint Investigative Team or the NWSLPA's counsel any questions about the investigation and interview process, confidentiality, and any other concerns without any obligation or expectation to participate in an interview. In October 2022, the Joint Investigative Team received a report that then-Thorns Head Coach Rhian Wilkinson had disclosed to the Thorns's HR director potentially inappropriate interactions with a player with whom she had formed a friendship. Two players recalled former Red Stars Assistant Coach and Utah Royals Head Coach Craig Harrington, while intoxicated, making comments about cheating on his wife and comments about players' appearances. Dames also texted a player after a fundraising event they both attended and told her that she looked nice that evening. The history of women's professional club soccer in the United States has often been tumultuous. Players reported to the Joint Investigative Team a wide range of misconduct, including many instances of misconduct that have not been previously reported. Holly then pulled down his pants and began masturbating in front of her. According to Levine's notes from that conversation, Whisler immediately guessed which player had raised the complaint, then speculated that the player had "lost her starting job and might be "trying to take [Dames] out." While the player denied that this text made her uncomfortable, another player reported that she found the text concerning. The course description states that the course trains players to [i]dentify and navigate power imbalances (including coach/athlete relationships) that can play a role in sexual misconduct, [d]efine consent and understand relevant factors including age and impairment," "[r]espond and report appropriately (and legally) to abuse and its disclosure, and [u]nderstand barriers to reporting, and factors such as retaliation." Sledmere Estate Shooting, Elta Md Tinted Sunscreen Sephora, Articles A
…