Women's pro soccer league had systemic abuse and sexual misconduct, investigation reveals

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An independent investigation into the scandals that erupted in the National Women's Soccer League last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players, according to a report released Monday.

"Abuse in the NWSL is rooted in a deeper culture in women’s soccer, beginning in youth leagues, that normalizes verbally abusive coaching and blurs boundaries between coaches and players," former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates wrote in her report on the investigation.

U.S. Soccer commissioned the investigation by Yates and the law firm King & Spaulding after former NWSL players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim came forward with allegations of harassment and sexual coercion dating back a decade involving former coach Paul Riley. Their account was published by The Athletic in September 2021.

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Cindy Parlow Cone, President of the United States Soccer Federation, makes a few remarks before the historic signing of the collective bargaining agreement signifying equal pay between the men's and women's national soccer teams at Audi Field on September 06, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images)

Riley, who denied the allegations, was quickly fired as head coach of the North Carolina Courage, and NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird stepped down.

But it was clear the problems were widespread. Five of the 10 head coaches in the NWSL last season either were fired or stepped down amid allegations of misconduct.

"The verbal and emotional abuse players describe in the NWSL is not merely ‘tough’ coaching. And the players