The soccer league NWSL suspends four people for life and another eight people for shorter periods. In addition, six different clubs and the league’s office were fined. The sanctions relate to attacks on players in the league.
The NWSL, the top women’s soccer league in the United States, has completed a long and advanced investigation into sexual abuse and harassment in the league.
The result is that four coaches: Paul Riley, Christy Holly, Rory Dames and Richie Burke are banned from the league for life. In addition, lighter punishments were awarded to eight people, six different clubs and the league’s office.
– These actions are of the utmost importance for the future of the league: we want to create an environment where our players feel good both on and off the field, says NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman in league press release.
Comprehensive investigation must lead to a new culture
For fourteen months, the NWSL investigated player complaints and the league’s practices in preventing nuisance. In December, the NSWL announced that it had found repeated nuisances at most of the clubs.
The investigation was led by former US Attorney General Sally Yates, and the report contains detailed descriptions of abuses suffered by players.
In addition to four coaches being banned for life, a further eight people have been handed suspensions either for a specified period or indefinitely.
Six different clubs are fined in the tangle, and the same applies to the league office. The fines vary from 50,000 to 1.5 million dollars (equivalent amount in euros) and structural reforms are also assumed by the parties.
The NWSL must pay a fine of at least one million dollars
The fined clubs are Chicago Red Stars ($1.5 million), Portland Thorns ($1 million), Racing Louisville ($200,000), North Carolina Courage ($100,000), OL Reign ($50,000) and Gotham FC formerly known as Sky Blue FC (50,000).
In addition, two clubs were mentioned in the context without ordering them fines. These are the Washington Spirit and the Kansas City Current.
Today, the league consists of a total of 12 clubs.
The Portland Thorns are one of the fined clubs. Archive image.
Image: Dantey Buitureida/SPP/Shutterstock/All Over Press
Portland Thorns FC
Portland Thorns involved
Finnish national defender Natalia Kuikka’s current club Portland Thorns is one of those fined by the NWSL. Kuikka started at the club last year.
Paul Riley is the club’s former coach, and his activities have also been investigated separately by the US National Soccer Association. Riley coached the team in the 2014/15 season and was now convicted of forcing a player into a sexual act.
The Portland Thorns were fined $1 million for attempting to cover up Riley’s actions.
Rhian Wilkinson also recently resigned from her role as head coach. STT writes that according to Wilkinson, “feelings had arisen” between her and a player in the team, but that they should have ended all communication outside the field of play.
Mike Norris, who was assistant coach when the team won the NWSL title in November, has taken over as head coach.
