NWSL Joint Investigation finds underlying misconduct culture

The NWSL released its Joint Investigation findings on misconduct, harassment and discrimination in the league. Covington & Burling LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP led the investigation.

Together, they found that over half of NWSL clubs had a history of misconduct. The report listed out eight clubs out of the 12-team league. That includes the previously reported incidents involving Paul Riley, Rory Dames and Christy Holly. Yet, the findings extend beyond just a handful of instances of abuse, harassment and discrimination.

The NWSL Joint Investigation stated the underlying culture of NWSL created fertile ground for misconduct to go unreported. The league, which only launched in 2012, was fragile and financially unstable. For many of the players, it was their best chance to play professional women’s soccer. Therefore, executives and coaches told the players to feel grateful for the opportunity just to play, and essentially do anything to ensure the league, and their careers, stayed on its feet. Players said this culture of the NWSL dissuaded them from reporting misconduct.

Also, players and coaches never had training over what constituted abuse or misconduct. Nor did the players know where or when to report it.

Additional, the NWSL Joint Investigation listed out recommendations. Summed up, that includes a total overhaul and systemic reform.

NWSL Joint Investigation labels eight clubs with misconduct in recent past

Most people knew of the issues with Paul Riley, Rory Dames and Christy Holly. The investigation team went further into the misconduct of NWSL. The misconduct identified around five other teams revolves around sexual misconduct, inappropriate relationships with players, the blurring of professional boundaries, racially insensitive remarks, inappropriate statements about players’ weight and body types and other forms of emotional misconduct, and retaliation for reporting misconduct.

The Washington Spirit and And Kansas City Current, for example, had sections in the report over the futility in speaking against coaches. For KC Current head coach Huw Williams actively got rid of players that spoke against him in a club meeting.

Another concern was the lack of vetting and investigation NWSL previously undertook. For example, the Racing Louisville failed to look deep into Christy Holly’s treatment of players in its hiring process. Then, NWSL’s Paul Riley investigation in 2015 only revealed ‘poor judgment,’ but no explanation for this characterization.

Recommendations

As a result, the NWSL Joint Investigation laid out a number of recommendations for the league to take to counteract these issues in the future. The NWSL is working towards a few of them. For instance, the report wants to strengthen anti-harassment policies, something the league claimed it has been doing over the past 14 months.

Also, the report wants the league to make guidelines and definitions of harassment more clear and available. The league has plans to do that for the 2023 season, which starts in just a few months.

PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire