The NWSL will not be playing the Oct. 1-2 slate of matches as players continue to voice concerns over allegations of sexual misconduct, inappropriate and homophobic comments and other questionable behavior detailed in a report by The Athletic which resulted in a coach's termination later the same day.
In the Sept. 30 story published in The Athletic, two players, Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim, accused long-time professional women's soccer coach Paul Riley of sexual coercion and harassment. Riley, who denied the allegations to The Athletic, was let go from his position as North Carolina Courage's head coach hours later.
Players are speaking out about the accusations, offering support to the two players who stepped forward and demanding accountability and action from the NWSL. The league cancelled its weekend slate of matches as it met with its players regarding the next steps to be taken.
NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird and the league's owners are coming under fire for their handling of the case, leading to questions about the league's culture and their ability to protect its players. Riley was rehired in the NWSL mere months after a 2015 investigation by the Portland Thorns found breaches in club policy that led to the decision not to renew his contract. Both players also filed subsequent complaints requesting a new league investigation this year, but their claims didn't result in any action from the NWSL.
Below is the latest on the scandal which surfaced just days after the head coach of one of the other 10 clubs, Washington's Richie Burke, was fired for cause amid alleged misconduct that led to one former Spirit player, Kaiya McCullough, speaking out. Also, OL Reign coach Farid Benstiti resigned in July after he was the subject of a player complaint, according to the Washington Post.
What is being alleged?
In The Athletic story, Farrelly alleges Riley coerced her into having sex in 2011 when she was a member of WPS club Philadelphia Independence and later in 2012 as a member of the New York Fury of the WPSL Elite league. The report goes on to detail other instances of inappropriate conduct and comments by Riley, including a 2015 incident with the NWSL's Portland Thorns in which, according to the players, he allegedly pressured teammates Farrelly and Shim to kiss in order to avoid a conditioning drill for the team. Riley denied the accusations in a statement to The Athletic calling them "completely untrue."
Shim filed a complaint with the Thorns' front office at the end of the 2015 season and, after an investigation, Portland didn't renew Riley's contract. Thorns owner Merritt Paulson told The Athletic that the results of the probe were shared with the NWSL league office although the details were not made public. Riley was hired a few months later by the NWSL's Western New York Flash, a club that later relocated to North Carolina and became the Courage.
After the NWSL adopted a new anti-harassment policy earlier in 2021, The Athletic reported that both Farrelly and Shim requested the league conduct a new investigation into Riley; however, the league's commissioner, Lisa Baird, informed them that the 2015 complaint was "investigated to conclusion."
What are the NWSL and its clubs saying?
Hours after The Athletic article was published, the North Carolina Courage terminated Riley and U.S. Soccer suspended his coaching license:
NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird issued a statement announcing a series of steps being taken by the league in response to the report, including mandating training and background checks for team and league staff, and the introduction of a system to allow for anonymous reporting.
The Portland Thorns issued a statement clarifying the club's actions at the end of Riley's tenure. The team didn't bring Riley back in 2015, but the details of the investigation were not revealed until the report this week. The club apologized to the players "for our role in the abuse they detailed" to The Athletic.
As part of the announcement of the cancellation of the weekend's matches, Baird also took "full responsibility for the role I have played":
“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 am so sorry for the pain so many are feeling. Recognizing that trauma, we have decided not to take the field this weekend to give everyone some space to reflect. Business as usual isn’t our concern right now. Our entire league has a great deal of healing to do, and our players deserve so much better. We have made this decision in collaboration with our players association and this pause will be the first step as we collectively work to transform the culture of this league, something that is long overdue.”
Current & former players speak out
Several high-profile players and former stars are voicing their support for the players who stepped forward, and demanding the league do more to protect them in the future.
U.S. national team star Alex Morgan, who played a key role in the push for the NWSL to institute its anti-harassment policy, shared a Twitter thread, including an email exchange between Farrelly and league commissioner Baird.
Megan Rapinoe, Meghan Klingenberg, and former U.S. women's national team stars Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy had strong words for the league, its owners and commissioner: "Burn it all down. Let all their heads roll," wrote Rapinoe.
The players' union, the NWSL Players Association, was quick with its response to the report by The Athletic, leading the charge to cancel the matches on Oct. 1-2. It also provided players an anonymous hotline for reporting abuse and made a sports psychologist available to them.
The president of Racing Louisville Brad Estes and Gotham FC head coach Scott Parkinson joined the chorus of voices demanding change: