On October 3rd, a long awaited report and investigation into abuse within the National Women’s Soccer League was published. The report was a devastating read, but what was even more devastating was the lengths the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) went to keep this abuse underground. 

The Report titled, “Report of the Independent Investigation to the U.S. Soccer Federation Concerning Allegations of Abusive Behavior and Sexual Misconduct in Women’s Professional Soccer,” was published by Sally Q. Yates, former U.S. Attorney General, who was hired by the U.S. Soccer Federation to conduct the investigation. The report is 319 pages long, and its key points are centered around different coaches: Christy Holly of Racing Louisville, Paul Riley of the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage. Along with details of abuse by these coaches, the report explains the ways in which the USSF failed to take the necessary steps to stop the abuse and covered up these incidents. 

One of the most troubling incidents discussed involves Riley from July 2013. According to the report, Thorns players Meleana Shim, Sinead Farelly, and an assistant coach, went to Riley’s apartment after a post-game outing at a nearby bar because Shim had to use the bathroom. After the Assistant Coach left, Riley put on music and tried to dance inappropriately with the players. He then asked Shim and Farrelly to kiss each other, and suggested that if they did, they would not have to run their fitness test for the week. 

From then on, Riley continued to bother Shim, in one instance, inviting her to his room to watch a film and appearing in just his underwear. He also sent revealing pictures of himself, which Farrelly said happened to her with Riley prior, at another soccer club.

The Thorns eventually launched an investigation into Riley after Shim reported him. Riley was fired after the investigation, but got hired by another NWSL team, the North Carolina Courage (formally the Western New York Flash). In 2021, Shim emailed NWSl Commissioner Lisa Baird warning her about Riley, which she dismissed. Finally, when The Athletic published an article detailing Shim and Farrelly’s experience with Riley, he got fired, and Lisa Baird was forced to resign.

The behavior of Christy Holly, former coach of Racing Louisville, was also highlighted within the report. At his first coaching position in the NWSL, multiple players complained about his aggressive behavior as well as an alleged sexual relationship with a player. He was fired, but as in the case with Riley, was able to get another NWSL coaching job. The new players also reported verbal and sexual abuse before he was fired for a second time. This ability for abusers to get one job after another shows the USSF’s blatant disregard for the voices of the players. 

These cases are just some of many instances of emotional and physical abuse in the NWSL. In just 2021, five coaches (out of 10 total teams in the NWSL) were ousted due to allegations of abuse, including the Washington Spirit’s coach, Richie Burke and Chicago Red Stars Coach Rory Dames, who had been abusing teenage girls in youth leagues even before the NWSL.

The U.S. Soccer Federation consistently ignored claims of abuse throughout the league, and this, in turn, will forever haunt players affected by abusive coaches. As a society, we have normalized abuse in women’s soccer, and we don’t distinguish between healthy and unhealthy coaching styles in youth soccer. A lot of these problems arose at the youth level and yet no one stepped in, until it was too late. Sports is supposed to be a safe haven for athletes, not an environment where they can be taken advantage of or abused in any way. •