The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the most successful of three women's pro leagues founded in the last two decades, canceled its five games scheduled this weekend amid a torrent of allegations against coaches for abusing players and the league for not supporting the players.
The New York Times had a detailed account by Kevin Draper yesterday. "But as has become evident this week, bullying and abusive behavior have been a part of the league from its earliest days. And, according to players, team executives and league officials have not done nearly enough to prevent it," Draper writes. He notes that in the past the months, 40 percent of the league's coaches were fired or resigned for inappropriate behavior. Then yesterday, Commissioner Lisa Baird resigned. CNN provided a report.
The worst of the coaching departures appears to have been Paul Riley, who was fired by the Portland Thorns in 2015 for unspecified violations of team policy but then went to another team. In 2018 and 2019 he coached the Carolina Courage to league championships but there were allegations that he had coerced a player into having sex with him, forced two players to kiss then sent them unsolicited sexual pictures and yelled at and belittled players. He has denied the charges.
Yelling at players is one thing. Think NFL coaches don't yell at players? But there is no excuse whatsoever for sexual abuse or for creating a hostile environment of a sexual nature. Prosecutors in the various jurisdictions need to carefully examine the allegations against Riley and the others for possible criminal conduct.
Former National Team player Meghan Klingenberg tweeted: "It is enraging that the NWSL knew about this abuse and allowed the abuser to be rehired." Well put.
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