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| The US women's soccer league announced Monday that four coaches have been banned for life. Craig Mitchell Dyer/ISI Photo via Getty Images |
The National Women's Soccer League on Monday permanently banished four former coaches, suspended other league officials, and fined several teams.
Former University of North Carolina coach Paul Riley. Former Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke. Christy Holly, former Racing Louisville FC. The coach was permanently banned from the league for alleged misconduct, from inappropriate comments to groping a player in Holly's case.
Red He Stars fined him $1.5 million and Portland fined him $1 million for failing to behave properly against Thorns FC. Allegations of Misconduct.
Former Utah Royals FC Craig Harrington. Coach and former Gotham FC general manager Alice Lahue have each been handed two-year league bans.
The league said in a statement Monday that the broad disciplinary action was based on a 128-page report released in December. We have taken action across the league in response to instances of retaliation against players who have been accused.
"Athletes with marginalized backgrounds and those with the least job security were often targeted by fraud," the report said. They faced the most significant barriers to speaking up and being reassured about what they were doing.”
League commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement that the "corrective actions" announced Monday were "appropriate and necessary."
“These changes require leadership, accountability, funding, and a willingness to embrace this new way of doing business.”
Last month's report is similar to another report he released in October from an investigation led by former Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates. Federal, N.W.S.L. For years, American football failed to address player dissatisfaction.
An investigation found that while coaching Louisville, Holly touched one of his players and sent him inappropriate texts and messages. At one point, the study revealed that Holly had invited the player to his home to watch a video of the game, but instead masturbated and showed porn in front of him.
The investigation also found that Riley, who was fired from the University of North Carolina in 2021, tried to use his position to coerce sexual relations with at least three players. He said he made sexual advances against her.
Dames, who resigned from Chicago His Reds His Stars in 2021, said in a report by N. A study led by Yates found that he created a "sexual team environment" at Chicago's youth clubs and "sexually In many cases, those relationships began after the age of consent.
According to his N.W.S.L., several players reportedly accused Burke of "verbally and emotionally abusing players," "using racial slurs, and being racially insensitive and offensive." making nasty jokes," he reportedly accused. I said. Reported to be reliable.
In a statement, Dames' attorney, Susan Bogart, said that the league had not notified Dames of the suspension.
"Mr. Dames said he never acted while coaching at the N.W.S.L. and justified his disciplinary action, not to mention a lifetime ban from the N.W.S.L.
Riley, Burke, Holly, Harrington, and Portland His Thorns did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.
Despite the problems in her case, she supports her N.W.S.L. she in her remedial efforts. ”
An investigation led by N.W.S.L. And Yates will address sexual and verbal abuse accusations against women's league coaches in 2021 after saying five of her coaches in the league had this, according to The Athletic and The Washington Post. Released the report. I stressed. I am involved in the allegation.
As part of Monday's disciplinary action, his four other teams (OL Reign, Gotham FC, Racing Louisville FC, and North Carolina College) were fined $50,000 for failing to address allegations of misconduct. was imposed on him. I was fined. imposed on him. $200,000 fine. Ranged fines were imposed.
Six other league officials said their future employment with the league meant attending training, "admitting misconduct and accepting individual responsibility for inappropriate behavior", and "correcting behavior".
Two of the six officers were former Houston Dash coach Vera Pow and former OL Reign coach Farid Benstiti. Pau and Benstiti were reportedly "ashamed of their weight", according to NWSL.
In a statement after N.W.S.L. When the report was released in December, Poe said she wanted to "refute all the allegations" made against her in her report. Benstiti was immediately available for comment Monday night.
