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The National Women’s Football League will not play the games scheduled for this weekend as it deals with the fallout from allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against a former coach.
North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley was fired by the team following a report in Athletic that detailed the alleged misconduct, which included allegations of sexual coercion by two former players.
The NWSL did not say on Friday whether the games were canceled or postponed. In a statement, Commissioner Lisa Baird said the decision was made with the NWSL Players Association.
“This week, and much of this season, has been incredibly traumatic for our players and staff, and I take full responsibility for the role I have played. I’m so sorry for the pain so many people are feeling, ”said Baird, who came to NWSL in early 2020.“ Recognizing this trauma, we decided not to go to the field this weekend to donate. everyone has a space for reflection. The status quo is not our concern at the moment. Our whole league has a lot of healing to do, and our players deserve so much better. “
OL Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock, who has played in the NWSL since its inception in 2013, has suggested the league, and women’s sport in general, are in the process of taking their toll.
“I think female athletes in particular have been through so much over the years, not just women’s football,” said Fishlock. “I think everyone knows what happened with USA Gymnastics, and it’s something that’s been happening over and over in women’s sport for years and years and years. And we never felt safe enough to talk about it, and if we ever felt brave enough to talk about it, then it would just be swept under the rug, or we were told we were wrong … and I think that we’re at a point now where we just finished.
A number of prominent USWNT stars called for action shortly after the news broke on Thursday.
“NWSL, it’s time to pull yourself together,” said Becky Sauerbrunn, captain of the United States Women’s National Team. in a press release on Twitter. “Being where we are today is unacceptable. The league and each club must do better.
Addition of Megan Rapinoe wrote on Twitter: “Men, protective men, who mistreat women. I repeat, men, protective men, who ABUSE WOMEN. Burn it all. Let all their heads roll.
US Soccer has suspended Riley’s coaching license following Athletic’s report, in which former NWSL players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim recounted their experiences with Riley.
Farrelly’s alleged harassment began in 2011 when she was a player with the Philadelphia Independence of the now defunct women’s professional football league.
She told the website that the abuse continued when Farrelly was with the Portland Thorns. Shim, a former Thorns player, has also reportedly suffered harassment. The Thorns said Thursday the team investigated the allegations about Riley and passed them on to the league when he was fired.
Riley told Athletic the allegations were “completely untrue”.
Riley was head coach of the Thorns in 2014 and 2015. After being let go by the Thorns, he became head coach of the Western New York Flash for a season before the team was sold and transferred to North Carolina.
Riley was named WPS Coach of the Year in 2011 and won the same honors in the NWSL in 2017 and 2018. Courage won the NWSL Championship in 2018 and 2019.
The NWSL Players’ Association said on Friday it had requested the postponement of this weekend’s games. The union said it hopes fans will understand and support the decision.
“It’s good to take up space to treat, feel and take care of yourself,” the union said. “In fact, it’s more than correct, it’s a priority. That, as players, will be our goal this weekend. “
The union has also called for an independent investigation into the allegations against Riley. The union has called for the suspension of any league or club staff member accused of violating the league’s anti-harassment policy or failing to report misconduct, regardless of when it occurred.
The union asked how Riley got hired by another club after allegations of misconduct surfaced while he was with the Thorns.
The league did not immediately respond to these requests. The union is currently negotiating its first contract with the league.
In its ninth season, the NWSL has been rocked by several recent scandals involving team officials.
Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke was fired after a Washington Post report detailed the players’ verbal and emotional abuse. The league officially sacked Burke and sanctioned the Spirit on Tuesday after an independent investigation.
Gotham FC chief executive Alyse LaHue was sacked in July after an investigation into the league’s anti-harassment policy. She denied any wrongdoing.
Racing Louisville coach Christy Holly was sacked in September, but the reasons for his sack have not been made public.
OL coach Reign Farid Benstiti abruptly resigned in July. OL Reign CEO and minority owner Bill Predmore said on Friday that Benstiti was asked to step down after an undisclosed incident during training.
Benstiti had previously been accused by US national team midfielder Lindsay Horan of sexist behavior during his tenure as Paris Saint-Germain coach. Horan said she was reprimanded by Benstiti because of her weight.
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