III. While the player denied that this text made her uncomfortable, another player reported that she found the text concerning. One club's player representatives expressed frustration that those investing in Whisler responded to Bailey via email, I'm not sure how you want me to respond," and Bailey told Whisler she was "not looking for any response." The Thorns did not provide the Flash with a copy of the investigative report. She said that Dames knew of her plans, and when he saw her leave the hotel to visit her boyfriend, he texted her to schedule a meeting for 15 minutes later. The staff member said that a player told her that the team felt "if they ever said anything [negative about Dames], at the end of the season they would just get traded off." Paul Riley engaged in sexual misconduct towards Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim. Shim attached to this email her 2015 complaint. More specificity is needed, investigators concluded, to provide examples of how ostracizing players or denying playing opportunities could fall under the definition of prohibited behavior. This appears to be in part due to uncertainty surrounding which entity or entities bore responsibility for developing policies of this nature. Clarkson believed the player was hungover because he had been alerted by a local friend that the sick player had gone out the night before with some Dash teammates and several Pumas players. Two others explained why they felt Dames had used information about them to manipulate them. According to this player, Wilkinson told the agent that before their meeting, he had met with Paulson and Baird to discuss the situation. One player reported that Riley ripped" a player for being too fat during a halftime speech. The NWSL should contact an applicant's former employers and, where feasible, former colleagues. When asked whether she could have compelled Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler to obey a League instruction not to speak with players in relation to an investigation, former U.S. Soccer and NWSL General Counsel Lisa Levine stated that the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors-of which Whisler was a member at the time-had shown that it was not inclined to act to discipline clubs. As a result, multiple players and staff members credibly expressed fear of severe consequences for their participation in the March Investigation and the subsequent retaliation investigation if they spoke negatively about the coaching staff, or if they were not bought in. 64, beliefs and goals as a player. The New Jersey-based club wanted to recognize its growing reach across the region. The club encouraged Simon to consider Kurtz said she cried on the phone, telling Hammond that her request was not about playing time-she said she did not feel comfortable being around Riley and told Hammond that Riley had called her chubby." Although Racing Louisville spoke to both Temares and Smoot about Holly, both Temares and Smoot only recalled discussing that Holly's departure related to his alleged relationship with Pearce Rampone. The player explained that although she repeatedly pushed back against LaHues inappropriate conduct, LaHue persisted, the investigations report said. One evening, he persuaded her to have dinner at an Italian restaurant in Portland. For instance, one player said that while she felt Whisler "cared," she felt he did not "get it or understand what he lets happen." Players also told Novo that Holly was in a romantic relationship with another player, Christie Pearce Rampone. One former player reported that at the Utah Royals home stadium, fans called players names "based off race and sexual orientation, and players did not want to play in Utah as a result. The NWSL should consider preparing an annual report regarding the operation of the Anti-Harassment Policy, including aggregated data regarding reports to the League of potential violations of the Anti-Harassment Policy, and the outcomes and resolutions of those reports. A player told the Joint Investigative Team that the club first attempted to fix the social media post without acknowledging the error or reaching out to the player, and only later issued an apology after Baucom posted about the error on Twitter. 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. The Athletic recounted the experiences of two former players, Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly, and reported that Riley sexually coerced players, provided alcohol to players and drank excessively with them, and made derogatory comments about players' weight and sexual orientation. Player-staff relationships, even when consensual, can create problems within a team environment and, in some instances, contribute to the mistreatment of players. Holly sent Simon a picture of his penis over WhatsApp. The calendar crisis explained. 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. . The same day, on August 15, 2019, Duffy forwarded the Thorns's attorney's 2015 email, along with the Thorns's investigative report and its supporting attachments, to then-U.S. Soccer Chief Legal Officer Lydia Wahlke. Over the following weeks, Riley continued to comment on Kurtz's weight. According to Plush, as a result of his conversation with Lines, Riley called Plush and "accused [Plush] of trying to 'blackball [Riley] out of the league."" Also around that time, Paulson-who frequently communicated with Malik-wrote to Malik via text message: "Paul's contract was up when he left us and we didnt [sic] renew it. Riley grabbed Shim, pulled her back against him, and tried to grind against her. Williams reported that he had a good relationship with this player during the season. However, Shim preferred to stay in Portland, where she already had a lease and was working as a private coach, so she asked Riley if the team would try to keep her. The Joint Investigative Team also found numerous deficiencies in the 2015 Thorns Investigation and subsequent communications by the Thorns, the NWSL, and U.S. Soccer about Riley's misconduct. Oversight Committee Composition and Operation Where players' clubs shared ownership or management with men's teams, players reported that their owners prioritized the men's teams, even in cases where the women's teams were more successful. The statement did not mention the investigation into Riley's conduct or his termination, and did not provide any reason for Riley's departure. to discount the impact of his behaviors." The History and Culture of the League and its Member Clubs Discouraged Reporting of Potential Misconduct Multiple witnesses reported that coaches continued their weight-shaming behavior even after being warned by players and other staff that such behavior was harmful. 73, Players also described coaches who publicly shamed players for their weight, rather than addressing the issue privately. At a team meeting the next day, players observed that Clarkson was visibly angry as he reprimanded the team at length, calling them selfish, disrespectful, and unprofessional by going out drinking prior to a game. In an interview with the Joint Investigative Team, Gulati stated he could not recall being aware in 2014 of player survey comments from that year indicating Riley was verbally abusive. Another player wrote that Lines was emotionally abusive, "belittle[d]" people, and should be terminated. 60, a) Drinking with Players Our players respect what Holly does as a coach and how he treats other players, coaches, and staff." Another player also recalled hearing players say they "would be at [his] pool and drinking," but Riley would then "get mad" because he thought that the players should be training. As The Philadelphia Inquirer reported, the statement from LaHues lawyer claimed that investigators provided Ms. LaHue a few documents that contained alterations. The NWSL should consider expanding and further supporting formal pipelines for former and current players who are interested in coaching and support those players in their pursuit of coaching positions, beyond the current A second player credibly reported that Riley made comments regarding that player's weight and required her to report her weight to him daily. (1) One player described Holly screaming at a player during a game, only to bring her into a meeting after the game in which he cried and told her that she was his favorite player. Whisler acknowledged the agreement and claimed that the non-disparagement clause was "standard. On July 8, 2021, the Club was advised that the investigation determined that Ms. LaHue violated the leagues policy on harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. One player remembered that there was "casual drinking throughout the day while players stayed at his home, and it felt like the alcohol was a gateway" for Riley to "wiggle his way in" with players. Vice President Alyse LaHue, who previously served as GM for the Chicago Red . 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. Players told the Joint Investigative Team that Dames threatened them, saying he would shred a player's contract or kick them off the team or out of practice if they made a mistake. These categories are illustrative and non-exhaustive; emotional misconduct also can include intentionally acting in a manner that causes emotional or psychological harm, including severe or repetitive conduct, such as insulting or degrading players or by creating a hostile working environment for players. 25, advice of legal counsel. As discussed above, this player was subsequently traded in circumstances suggesting that the trade was retaliatory. The policy, however, then states that [i]f a dating, romantic, or sexual relationship between a player and a staff member or between staff members develops, it must be disclosed to Human Resources" to allow the club "to take steps to protect the interest of [the] organization and the parties involved, which seems to suggest exceptions may be made to the policy. to return to the club. 2. 2. In her interview with the Joint Investigative Team, Ellis did not recall players bringing to her attention verbal abuse or racist or sexist comments by NWSL coaches during her tenure with the USWNT. The next day, Riley said, "A deal is a deal," and he did not require the team to run the suicide mile that week. This player said that on another occasion, she did not really" want to visit Riley's Long Island home but "felt pressure to go." She heard from another player that it felt like Riley was really waiting until [players] were either belligerent or a little intoxicated." Due in part to the perceived close relationship between Burke and club ownership and management, players did not feel comfortable expressing concerns about Burke. Holly also verbally abused players and retaliated against those who raised complaints about him. While much of the sexual misconduct she described took place when Simon and Holly were alone, Simon confided in her friend and teammate, Brooke Hendrix, who spoke to the Joint Investigative Team and shared what Simon told her about some of Holly's abuse as it was occurring. After Starr revealed Simon's identity to the club, Wilkins set up a meeting for later that morning with Simon, Starr, and Wilkins's supervisor. In a follow-up interview, the lawyer said the alterations were not made by Ms. LaHue, and did not provide any further details. The Joint Investigative Team requested an interview with Holly, and he initially agreed to be interviewed. Paulson also said he had heard that Shim did not want Riley's termination made public, though there is no evidence that Garcia or anyone else on the Thorns asked Shim for her preference, and Shim told the Joint Investigative Team that she did not recall making any such statement. That January, the Courage made Riley their first head coach. Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water, too. 84, stepping down from his position as the Spirit's head coach, the club first announced he would be reassigned to the club's front office. He said that Kurtz seemed accepting of this news, but she mentioned in passing something about Riley calling her chubby." Players and staff at Sky Blue and Racing Louisville credibly reported that Holly was verbally abusive and emotionally volatile. The March Investigation focused on concerns that Cromwell inappropriately showed favoritism towards certain players, communicated with players in an unprofessional manner, and inappropriately commented on players' physical appearances, and that Greene inappropriately showed favoritism towards certain players. He noted, for instance, that if Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler quit the League, the League would fail. The NWSL should consider providing resources to support players and staff working to advance the interests of diverse and marginalized groups. The USWNT has won medalsincluding four gold medalsin every Olympic Games except one since women's soccer was added as an event in 1996. Given this conduct, players feared retaliation from Burke and held back from criticizing him out of fear they would be waived. In certain instances, the Joint Investigative Team determined that conduct did not violate the Anti-Harassment Policy or other relevant standards. The NWSL planned to offer the same in-person anti-harassment training in 2020 but did not do so due to the pandemic. The same HR employee who spoke to Levine about Farrelly's complaint told the Joint Investigative Team that she printed the complaint and handed it to Levine. Simon felt scared and physically intimidated. 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. Players told the Joint Investigative Team that the NWSL's culture and the unstable history of women's professional soccer in the United States deterred them from raising concerns about abuse, bullying, harassment, and other forms of misconduct. 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. Some players recalled that a former assistant coach, while at a club-sponsored party where he was drinking heavily, made sexually explicit remarks to players. Craig Harrington, the former Utah Royals F.C. Malik stated that Paulson's text message "re-emphasize[d]" this point. 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." Second, the repeated assertion that the 2015 Thorns Investigation did not reveal unlawful harassment by Riley is troubling. In addition, while Cromwell and Greene denied knowing who made complaints about them during the March Investigation, the evidence suggests that they formed a belief as to which players made complaints or spoke negatively about them in connection with the March Investigation. Nearly every interviewee agreed that Clarkson was not adept at tailoring his coaching style to particular players' needs or reactions, and that he failed to recognize or appreciate when certain players did not respond well to his coaching style. While the player surveys asked players to rate the knowledge and skill set of certain club staff, including coaching staff, the surveys did not ask specific questions about any misconduct the players experienced or observed. Both the Breakers and FC Kansas City folded in 2017. Vera Pauw shamed players for their weight and attempted to exert excessive control over their eating habits. . These inappropriate sexual remarks included inquiries and remarks about players' sexual orientation and dating lives, and remarks about players' appearances and attractiveness. The NWSL's Non-Fraternization Policy, adopted in 2018, states: "No person in management or a supervisory position with a Team or the League shall have a romantic or dating relationship with a League or team employee whom he or she directly supervises or whose terms or conditions of employment he or she may influence." 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. C. The League did not have standing meetings with the NWSLPA, and communications remained informal and irregular. Multiple players, in public statements or in interviews with the Joint Investigative Team, reported that they experienced retaliation for reporting concerns about Dames. Baird told ESPN that reading the article was the first she ever heard of accusations of sexual abuse against Riley. 1. This actually isn't okay. Moreover, NWSL staff reviewing player survey results-when they were reviewed-were not trained or provided any guidance on how to analyze player survey results for statements indicating misconduct and were not instructed to elevate any potential misconduct to NWSL HR or the NWSL General Counsel. The same player emphasized that "continuous commitment to anti-racism is important" and the burden should not be on Black players to educate others. Baird then-again based on a response Levine had drafted-responded to Farrelly with an email similar to the one she had sent Shim, stating that the initial complaint in 2015 had been investigated to conclusion" and that she could not "share any additional details." In a written statement to the Joint Investigative Team, Plush contended that he was "very clear" with Malik that the Courage should not retain Riley and that Malik should reach out to Paulson to understand why Riley was "no longer coaching in Portland. Plush said he made Malik aware that the Thorns had conducted an investigation into Riley, though he acknowledged he did not disclose the investigative findings or conclusions because he had been advised by counsel that this information was "confidential" and was not the League's information to share. Several players noted that Burke's conduct was very open, including in front of team staff and management, and that numerous players were uncomfortable with his conduct. . 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. Beyond the Bottom Line is a podcast created by the Program on Entrepreneurship at the Yale School of Management, where we're educating founders for business and society. Two overlapping trends factor into why there are two major reports on systemic abuse in the NWSL: a lack of trust in reporting systems, and a lack of accountability among those in positions of power. The club immediately terminated the staff member for violating club policy. 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. During the Pride's investigation, players corroborated these reports, although the investigation did not support some of the reported conduct, and Cromwell and Greene were given written warnings. It can be argued that Alyse LaHue, general manager of the soccer team formerly known as Sky Blue FC, was herself the rebrand that became official this . The documents should be kept confidential and shared only with individuals who need them to investigate and make determinations regarding investigation outcomes and discipline. Simon recalled that during the camp, Holly did in fact try to get Simon to come to his hotel room, but she never did. . This confusion extended to the question of whether U.S. Soccer, the League, or clubs were expected-or even permitted-to develop HR functions and address misconduct. Failures of the 2015 Thorns Investigation and Subsequent Communications Riley also engaged in other inappropriate behavior during his tenure on the Thorns, and he surrounded himself with staff members who were not likely to speak out against him. Additionally, the 2015 allegations and findings against Riley were often downplayed, including by discussing only certain aspects of the allegations and at times by using the phrase that no unlawful harassment" occurred as a way to summarize the investigative findings. The agreement prohibited the club from disclosing Holly's sexual misconduct, including to law enforcement, unless compelled by law. Covington and Weil (collectively, the "Joint Investigative Team) reviewed all reports indicating that a person in a position of power in the NWSL or one of its member clubs engaged in or facilitated inappropriate conduct towards NWSL players, including discrimination, harassment, sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, and retaliation related to such reports. 86, attempt to address the issue themselves by confronting the employee engaged in misconduct, which could prevent the NWSL from investigating the offensive behavior and taking necessary corrective action. He stated it was included because, in Estes's view, no one would sign a unilateral non-disparagement provision. His training sessions were inconsistent in intensity based on his mood. In an email responding to these comments, Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler attributed concerns about Dames to Whisler's perception that "one or both of the [US]WNT players did not like [Dames]probably because they did not start or play the way they wanted to." The announcement finally came on July 16, about a termination that happened on July 9. After the HR employee sent this response, Levine informed the employee that Baird would respond directly to Farrelly, which the employee communicated to Farrelly. Witnesses also reported that the coach attempted to get another player to dance with him and told her he did not care about her sexuality. Throughout Dames's tenure as head coach of the Red Stars, owner Arnim Whisler minimized and dismissed players' concerns that Dames was verbally and emotionally abusive. 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 . The U.S. Soccer investigator also took at face value Whisler's claims that he was "very accessible" and that players could come to [him]" with their concerns. 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. She said, "I was made to feel by U.S. Soccer that I was in the wrong, there was nothing to report, and that this was acceptable." Shim later recalled that during the interview, Garcia appeared focused on whether Riley had engaged in unlawful harassment, and Garcia expressed that Shim did not have a legal claim because she was not able to provide corroborating evidence. Other players similarly reported that they feared retaliation from Burke, or otherwise held back from criticizing Burke, due to incidents in which Burke threatened to waive players who disagreed with him and due to the fact that he had unilateral control over player contracts. He complied with her request for a little while, but his inappropriate behavior resumed soon after. Hendrix also attended the meeting. Publicly, however, the club merely announced that it would not retain Riley for a third season, and then-Thorns General Manager and President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson said, on behalf of the club, "I would like to thank Paul for his services to the club these past two seasons." Players were frequently reminded of the fragility and financial instability of the League. 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. During the lengthy investigation, players were given insufficient opportunity to speak to the investigator, and the investigator did not speak to any club staff members other than Dames. Strengthen Anti-Harassment Policies Captaincy chaos and Waldrum ultimatums - Will Nigeria be ready for World Cup? Ownership terminated Ms. LaHues employment on July 9 and stands by that decision.. For example, in 2018, the owner of one club learned of a relationship between a staff member and a player. If the NWSL receives a complaint or report of alleged misconduct regarding club staff, it should consider requiring that club to report any planned player transactions or staff terminations to the NWSL for the remainder of the current season and the following off-season. The player reported that Dames had texted one player at night to tell her he liked her outfit, and that he had "a tendency to 'pick on weak willed players and . When the Joint Investigative Team interviewed her, Wahlke denied making such a request. In another example, Dames told the investigator that he revoked the media credentials of a player's boyfriend because he concluded that the boyfriend's presence was "not positive" based on a conversation with a USWNT coach. Second, the investigation found that players and club staff did not trust reporting processes or the league at large, so much so that it affected participation even in this investigation, which had the oversight of the players' union, the NWSLPA. 3. The player said she and the others felt like "[they were] never going to play again." A staff member for another club noted that "the whole team" lived in the same apartment building with some coaching staff. Players from marginalized backgrounds, or with the least job security, were often targets of misconduct. During her interview-which was two hours long (more than twice as long as any other interview conducted at the time)Shim recounted the instances she had described in her complaint. The NWSL and NWSLPA ultimately directed Covington and Weil to jointly conduct an independent, thorough, and objective investigation, to be led by Covington, under the direction of a newlyformed Oversight Committee. At the time, the NWSL was addressing a number of other issues with Sky Blue, unrelated to misconduct against players, and Duffy recalled "being confused" about how to handle Holly's relationship with Pearce Rampone and how Holly's departure fit into other concerns with the club. U.S. Soccer took no steps to protect players during the 16 months it spent on the investigation. LaHue participated in an initial interview with the Joint Investigative Team but canceled a second scheduled interview and declined the Joint Investigative Team's repeated requests to reschedule. The report found that Riley had (i) violated instructions by Wilkinson not to socialize with players "when alcohol was involved; (ii) engaged in inappropriate and unprofessional behavior and exercised poor judgment by sending inappropriate text messages, not establishing and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, inviting players to his apartment, serving alcohol to players, dancing with a player and touching her while doing so, inviting a player to his hotel room, having one-on-one dinners (and involving alcohol), having one-on-one game film sessions in his apartment, and failing to notify his supervisor of the July 5 email; and (iii) likely violated his employment contract by doing so. The Joint Investigative Team found that Riley engaged in repeated misconduct, including towards Farrelly and Shim, and Courage player Kaleigh Kurtz. Please sign in below. Simon felt pressure to do so but declined.
Brookdale Senior Living Organizational Chart, Articles A