John Cooper Political Party, Mentally Incompetent Contract Cases, Articles A

Mishandling of Rory Dames's Misconduct by U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and the Chicago Red Stars 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. According to the course description, this course trains medical staff on how to "[r]ecognize types and signs of abuse and misconduct, [c]reate safer, abusepreventative spaces and policies for training and treatment, [r]espond to abuse and disclosures and recognize barriers to reporting, [i]ncorporate a trauma-informed approach into [their] practice," "[s]afely reintegrate athletes who have been harmed back into sport," and "[c]reate and promote a culture that prioritizes athlete safety." Players from marginalized backgrounds, or with the least job security, were often targets of misconduct.". On the evening of the announcement of LaHues firing from Gotham, a statement was provided by Kelly Hoffman, attorney for Alyse LaHue via Meg Linehan of The Athletic on Twitter reading: Ms. A technicality but a distinction. Paulson told the Joint Investigative Team that prior to sending this message, he had told Malik over the phone that the Thorns had fired Riley based on Shim's complaint. 91, The perceived absence of HR at the NWSL and its clubs meant that many players felt that they had no clear path to report misconduct they experienced. Recalling the club's mindset at the time, Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler explained that a check was not considered, as Dames was a well-known figure within the soccer community. D. Malik told the Joint Investigative Team that he communicated with Plush at the NWSL, who suggested Malik speak with Paulson about hiring Riley, and with Gulati at U.S. Soccer, who told Malik to reach out to Riley's previous employers. "An independent review of practices and policies at the league and club levels-including workplace policies for each club in the league, league-mandated anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy, and processes for identifying, investigating, and enforcing On September 1, 2021, Holly texted Simon and told her he was fired for "an inappropriate relationship" with her. 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. At Racing Louisville, for example, Holly lived in the same apartment complex as Simon and other players, one of whom described this arrangement as "weird." . 105 108 the ghosts of their former Sky Blue FC selves and all the baggage that came with it, Yazmeen Ryan is at Gotham FC for the long haul, Why Naomi Girma could be the USWNTs most important player at the World Cup, Pride swap white shorts for black as global push continues for player welfare, Waived from Gotham FC, Kelly Ann Livingstone sees opportunity with Fortuna Hjrring, 2023 NWSL schedule released: Actually, theres a lot to like, Sinead Farrelly joins Gotham FC preseason roster as Non-Roster Invitee, Amy Rodriguez traded to North Carolina; Kansas City acquires Mace, Hamilton and Rowland, USWNT wrestling with identity ahead of World Cup, USWNT 2, Brazil 1: On fullback positioning and the double-edge sword of transitions, Several players drop out of French national team ahead of the World Cup, Seriously, a fall-to-spring schedule for the NWSL? On an away trip to Portland following the 2019 World Cup, Kurtz received a text message from Riley with a picture of a bar he was at, commenting that Kurtz would like the bar and that he wished she were there. However, that position is inconsistent with other evidence, including an email from counsel for the Thorns and Plush's own prior communications with Sky Blue. Shim's and Farrelly's interviews occurred in person at Providence Park, the stadium where Precious little information has been available about what went down between LaHue and Gotham. The New Jersey-based club wanted to recognize its growing reach across the region. Multiple players and club staff reported that in 2017, while Holly was head coach of Sky Blue, he began dating Pearce Rampone. On October 10, 2022, the NWSL publicly announced that the Joint Investigative Team found that Cromwell and Greene engaged in retaliation and attempted retaliation, in violation of NWSL policy, against Pride players whom Cromwell and Greene believed had made or supported earlier misconduct allegations against them, and that Reis violated NWSL policy by not fully cooperating with the retaliation investigation. Clarkson and Cromwell would be allowed to return to the league upon completing anti-harassment training and demonstrating a commitment to change. The club had asked the NWSL to run a standard background check on this potential hire but did not request a reputational check. Shortly after Garcia began investigating, the Thorns retained a law firm to assist in the investigation. A player recalled this same coach making comments about what players "had on their plates" and "food-shaming" players. While some clubs have provided anti-harassment training to staff and players, the NWSL should develop and implement mandatory, uniform NWSL-wide trainings that address topics related to the Anti-Harassment Policy and that provide concrete examples of appropriate and inappropriate conduct. They also spoke with Cindy Parlow Cone-former Thorns head coach and current U.S. Soccer President who indicated that Riley was better with up and coming players, was not as good with established players, and that players felt Riley over-trained them. Gotham fired her on July 9, 2021, and said in a statement seven days later that the dismissal was based on the results of a league investigation into a complaint of a violation of league policy.. The announcement did not specify that the "cause" was sexual misconduct. When the investigation concluded, Levine received and reviewed a copy of the 2015 investigative report and supporting documents, along with the Thorns's counsel's determination that the 2015 investigation revealed no unlawful harassment." 2. The 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy requires clubs to promptly report all reports of misconduct to the League. Even players who were more supportive of Dames said that he was "definitely very unpredictable and that players [did not] know what kind of Rory [they would] get at practice. Simon was afraid to tell anyone of Holly's abuse because she was scared for her physical safety if Holly found out she had reported him. At Sky Blue, a former chief financial officer handled the club's budgeting, sponsorships, payroll, and merchandising in addition to the club's HR. They stated that they had difficulty convincing the Board of Governors to act. Harrington denied each of these reports, but the Joint Investigative Team did not find his denials to be credible when viewed against the accounts of multiple other witnesses. Club staff must be held to higher standards. Sunil Gulati (U.S. Soccer, President, 2006-2018) and Dan Flynn (U.S. Soccer, CEO and Secretary General, 2000-2019) One player reported that Riley ripped" a player for being too fat during a halftime speech. In September 2021, this requirement was updated to include assistant coaches and other club staff who would regularly interact with players. A few weeks later, on June 12, 2018, another Red Stars player emailed the NWSL HR office to file a complaint about Dames and Whisler. The NWSL announced that Cromwell's and Greene's employment contracts were terminated effective immediately and that they were ineligible for future employment in the NWSL unless approved by the Commissioner. Riley has previously denied the allegations against him. The Committee should engage regularly with the Board of Governors and the Commissioner regarding DEI efforts and should be sufficiently resourced to implement meaningful DEI initiatives. . In the course of 2021 alone, six of the League's then-existing ten clubs fired or accepted the resignations of general managers or head coaches due to misconduct, in some cases misconduct that had persisted for years. In December 2021, the Joint Investigative Team received a complaint about Clarkson and began an investigation. Simon described her fear that reporting Holly's misconduct could destroy her career after he insinuated to her that he had orchestrated her youth national team call-up; she recalled thinking, He could ruin me." I. The NWSL should consider working with the NWSLPA to establish additional affinity groups, and develop similar partnerships with those affinity groups to improve the NWSL experience for all players. Trauma-Informed, Survivor-Centered Approach These biases are central to any evaluation of misconduct in the League. Richie Burke (Washington Spirit, Head Coach, 2019-2021) C. Another player said it was "tough" to report "racial allegations" as a Black woman because "it almost feels like you're having to convince someone that it actually happened." Against this backdrop, some players reported misconduct anonymously through player surveys conducted by the NWSL. The Joint Investigative Team further found that Goalkeeper Coach Aline Reis did not fully cooperate with the investigation, in violation of NWSL policy, including by pressuring players to share favorable information with investigators. In early 2022, the NWSLPA and the League announced that they had signed their first collective bargaining agreement. The club announced Holly's termination "for cause on August 31, 2021. Ultimately, WPS terminated magicJack's franchise rights in October 2011. Clarkson denied Malik also told the Joint Investigative Team that he consulted University of North Carolina, and former USWNT, Head Coach Anson Dorrance about Riley while he considered buying the club. Pauw appeared to want to control and micromanage players' diets and exercise regimens even when her weight loss Players also reported that Burke continued to yell at a player during a game when she was experiencing a panic attack on the field. Limitations and Challenges This failure stemmed, in part, from confusion between U.S. Soccer, the League, and its clubs about their respective roles in responding to reports of misconduct, including whether they were expected-or even permitted-to develop HR functions and address misconduct. A Dash player also described her coach, Pauw, having outbursts" of emotional yelling in which she would get up in a frenzy, and recalled a player receiving warning calls to inform her of incoming phone calls from Pauw. Players reported that by bringing players into a meeting with Holly, club management created a fear of retaliation which discouraged them from reporting further He often invited certain players to have lunch or dinner with him, taking one small group of players out to dinner on a regular basis. Multiple players recalled former Thorns Head Coach Paul Riley informing players that he could influence their national team call-ups. The player spoke to Levine and Duffy later that day to explain her concerns. Multiple players described being made to feel like they were a charity case for their ownership, rather than professional athletes. Inappropriate Intimate and Sexual Interactions with Players report said. Another comment said that the "coach made this year horrible for most people" and expressed uncertainty that people would be honest in their survey responses "out of fear." The NWSL should strictly enforce the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy's requirement that complaints or reports of potential policy violations be elevated to the NWSL within 24 hours of receipt to ensure the NWSL is equipped to investigate promptly and immediately take interim measures to protect players as needed. Insufficient Understanding of the Respective Roles of U.S. Soccer, the League, and Clubs in Investigating Misconduct The NWSL began planning for a 2021 anti-harassment training, but the training did not happen before the crises that emerged in the fall of 2021. But the story had been percolating since June 28, when I reported via Twitter that Alyse LaHue was away from the team. With regards to the League's legal and HR functions, from 2012-2017, then-U.S. Soccer General Counsel Levine handled the NWSL's legal and HR responsibilities in the absence of an NWSL general counsel. 5. This is inconsistent with the final USSF Dames Report issued in September 2019, which stated that Dames was still "unpredictable," and that he was continuing to target specific players "for constant criticism" and yelling excessively. 98, Multiple players also voiced concerns that coaches found to have committed misconduct were not terminated but were instead allowed to resign from their positions. Two players expressed the concern that speaking out about issues of race could jeopardize a player's a) Definition of Retaliation The Joint Investigative Team found that Riley engaged in repeated misconduct, including towards Farrelly and Shim, and Courage player Kaleigh Kurtz. The Joint Investigative Team requested an interview of the Current owners, and Angie Long sat for an interview. Eventually, she reported the staff member to her coach because she felt that the staff member was "crossing the line and making [her] uncomfortable." Harrington then stated that the player may have contacted him via WhatsApp or may have just flagged [him] down" in the hotel lobby. He would switch seats on the plane during team travel to sit next to her. .17 Two people used the phrase Jekyll and Hyde" to describe Holly. Furthermore, in at least one instance, players received potentially misleading information about the outcome of an investigation. Over time, players' lack of trust in Holly led to a divide between Holly, Pearce Rampone, and the majority of the team. The reasons for his departure were not shared publicly. 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. As the report states, there is a clear lack of guidance provided to players regarding what constitutes misconduct. In the absence of dedicated HR staff, some clubs told players that reports of misconduct could be made to club management or ownership. In response to her request, Courage Assistant General Manager Bobby Hammond conveyed to Kurtz or her agent that the club was unable to find a trade for her, but that it could increase her salary by a "few thousand dollars." Several players raised concerns about Riley encouraging players to drink to excess. These failures created barriers to identifying and reporting misconduct, and bred distrust among players that reports would be handled appropriately by the League or clubs. Things actually can be spoken up about, be brought to light." In 2018, former Red Stars player Christen Press made a complaint about Chicago Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames to U.S. Soccer, alleging that he engaged in verbal and emotional abuse. b) Failures of Background Checks Reports of Retaliation for Complaints of Misconduct Through counsel, the Thorns emailed Levine a copy of the report with its attachments. A former player stressed that "players married to staff members [and] coaches" is "an issue across multiple clubs." In addition, despite recent messages of empowerment from the League and clubs, gender norms and biases led many players to believe that their needs and concerns were not worthy of attention. The player described feeling shocked at the sudden threat because her teammate "[hadn't] done a thing and was harmless." The League should issue a public statement reiterating its commitment to creating a safe working environment for players, announcing specific actions that the NWSL will take to demonstrate this commitment, and setting a timeline for implementation in consultation with the NWSLPA. The Spirit suspended Burke pending an investigation initiated shortly after the Washington Post article was published, and the club fired him on September 28, 2021, following the completion of that investigation. Another player noted the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training, and specifically, anti-Black racism" training. Even when these meetings were strictly professional, players expressed discomfort with meeting coaches in their hotel rooms. In interviews with the Joint Investigative Team, both Levine and Duffy remembered that they paused the NWSL investigation at Wahlke's request. 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. Harrington reportedly tried to enter the hotel room, and one of the players "shoved him out. Riley told her he would do whatever he could do for her, adding, "You know I love you." The NWSL should provide mandatory and comprehensive annual anti-bullying trainings to address non-abusive approaches to coaching and to empower players to recognize and report misconduct. Clarkson denied ever raising his voice at players or losing control of his emotions, notwithstanding credible evidence to the contrary. 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. This former player said a few players were kind of being weirded out" by Dames's invitations, because they felt he was "always asking" them "to go get food" or to "hang out" with him. Although the separation agreement included a specific carve-out to the non-disparagement provision allowing the club to share information about Dames with current players, club staff, and club ownership in connection with the organizational climate review, the agreement included no such exception for the NWSL and NWSLPA Joint Investigation. Some players explained that their own experience playing for tough or abusive coaches in youth leagues or in college colored their ability to accurately determine whether NWSL coaches' conduct constituted emotional misconduct. Since then, the lineup of clubs has undergone various changes. When U.S. Soccer did respond to the Joint Investigative Team's requests, it produced limited documentation and refused the Joint Investigative Team's request to identify the documents withheld.". Likewise, at least two players expressed surprise that Amanda Cromwell had been hired as head coach of the Pride despite concerns arising from her tenure at UCLA. In text messages to Dames, Whisler spoke negatively of Press and expressed suspicion about players' motives for raising concerns. The players, however, reported to the Joint Investigative Team that they did experience retaliation after this meeting. The two most senior executives in the League's front office, Commissioner Lisa Baird and General Counsel Lisa Levine, resigned. They told O'Connor that they would really appreciate if this was kept confidential." At that time, Levine provided Duffy a copy of the Thorns's 2015 investigative report, as well as supporting texts and emails. During this meeting, Starr shared Simon's name. It further stated that the club's executive team and Holly each agreed not to make any written or verbal communication in any form . "The continuation of ongoing investigations initiated under the NWSL's current antiharassment policy, and the recommendation of sanctions where appropriate." Duffy similarly stated that she did not recall why Levine sent her the report at that time. 10. She did not consider reporting Holly to the NWSL or U.S. Soccer, in part because she did not know who to contact or how to make a report. In addition, the Joint Investigative Team coordinated with the USSF Investigation team where appropriate for certain interviews or other fact gathering. The agreement provided Dames with an additional five weeks of pay, and prohibited Dames and the Red Stars from disparaging the other or disclosing to anyone the existence and content of the agreement, with no exception for cooperation with the ongoing investigations. A staff member "got really drunk" during this party and "made inappropriate passes at people." Harrington was found to have. 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. Farrelly told the Joint Investigative Team that the announcement "solidified" her decision not to tell her own story, noting the hiring was "extra validation that Shim's allegations did not seem to matter. Levine suggested in a February 2016 email that she would prepare letters to Riley and to the owner of the Flash reminding them that coaches must remain professional, but the Joint Investigative Team did not find evidence that any such letters were written or sent. Leaders from U.S. Soccer and the League also argued that decision-making authority lay with the club owners, through the Board of Governors. Aside from Lines, Levine told the Joint Investigative Team that she could not recall any specific follow-up by the League or U.S. Soccer based on survey results. Text messages between Whisler and Dames in the days following the complaint suggest that Levines approach to the investigation increased the risk of both retaliation against players and interference with the investigation. The conclusion of the report similarly minimized players' concerns in favor of Dames's and Whisler's self-serving explanations. Embrace Player Insight as Part of the Hiring and Vetting Processes Now, league leadership must make meaningful changes: sources tell ESPN that the NWSL board received the report at the same time as it was released to the public, but in terms of timing, some of the report's recommendations could well be in place before the start of the 2023 season. Simon first met Holly in 2016. Sauerbrunn: NWSL players horrified and heartbroken, Morgan shames former NWSL commissioner Baird for inaction over Riley abuse, Morgan: Mana Shim was failed by the system, NWSL report explainer: What's new, what's recommended and what's next, Foden's return to form helps mask De Bruyne's troubles, Nelson sends Arsenal into euphoria with last-gasp winner over Bournemouth, Arsenal rally, net late winner in 5-goal thriller, Garber: MLS would be flexible for Messi move, City beat Newcastle to keep pressure on Arsenal, Arteta: Arsenal win my 'most emotional moment', Ancelotti defends Benzema after Clasico loss, Klopp, Ten Hag tell fans to 'lose the poison', Xavi on Clasico critics: Barca world's hardest club, Guardiola: Next three games define City's season. Levine remembered that Holly left Sky Blue because of his relationship with Pearce Rampone and that the relationship created "issues with team chemistry but could not recall any complaints or concerns with respect to Holly's treatment of players. While player transactions and staff terminations are certainly not the only conduct that could be retaliatory-and many player transactions may be motivated by non-retaliatory and soccer-specific reasonstaking this step could alert the NWSL to any potentially retaliatory player transactions or staff terminations and allow the NWSL to investigate where needed. Starr recalled that a couple of weeks later, she met with Simon again, and Simon informed her that the abuse had been "going on for a while." In keeping with the Joint Investigative Team's commitment to take a trauma-informed, survivorcentered approach, the Joint Investigative Team did not pressure any current or former player to participate in the investigation. In order to ensure the integrity of reporting channels, and to mitigate concerns regarding potential retaliation, the NWSL should require that separate individuals hold key leadership and management roles within clubs. The NWSL's 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy attempts to clarify the roles of the clubs and League in investigating misconduct. 6. Holly declined requests to be interviewed in this investigation. For example, when Racing Louisville hired Holly as its new head coach in August 2020, it conducted a narrow criminal background check, in addition to speaking with former employers. 76, ever having a second discussion about the remark with the player.