alyse lahue relationship

The report points out issues within the NWSLs infrastructure, including a historical lack of background check procedures for potential coach and front-office hires. 53, indicating he wanted to go to Simon's apartment and describing "inappropriate things he would do." Those who had known Dames for a long time acknowledged that his "behaviors ha[d] improved," but the review stressed the importance of "consider[ing] the severity of the starting point as context for growth in behavior." The report summary further included the finding that [w]hile a few players described their belief that Dames inappropriately shares personal information they all appeared to be referring to the [same] incident." Courage President Curt Johnson explained that during this vetting period, Flynn told Johnson some of the details of Riley's 2015 misconduct towards Shim and Farrelly, but described the incident as "a moment of poor judgment." The new report claimed it studied all reports of inappropriate conduct toward players in the league since its launch in 2012. At some point, the notion of Shim and Farrelly kissing was raised, though no one could recall in 2015 who raised the idea; Farrelly told the Joint Investigative Team that Riley pushed the notion of intimacy between the players-both that night and persistently even before that nightand Shim and Farrelly have since recalled that Riley likely came up with the idea for them to kiss. U.S. Soccer's investigator also did not look into players' concerns that Whisler was not receptive to their complaints and that he had a financial incentive to protect Dames. Lisa Levine (U.S. Soccer, General Counsel, 2009-2017; NWSL, General Counsel, 2017-2021) The USSF Dames Investigation surfaced several concerns about Dames, but those concerns were not appropriately investigated or addressed. While a short briefing of the investigation's findings was provided to the club, the Joint Investigative Team understands that U.S. Soccer did not share the nature of the complaints or conclusions of the investigation, including whether the reports against Dames were corroborated. A Dash player also described her coach, Pauw, having outbursts" of emotional yelling in which she would get up in a frenzy, and recalled a player receiving warning calls to inform her of incoming phone calls from Pauw. Farrelly recalled feeling guilty after the interview that she had told her partner about the kissing incident. Sky Blue FC's Alyse LaHue And for every role model out there, and every new one made, there's another awakening. A staff member "got really drunk" during this party and "made inappropriate passes at people." Simon recalled that when she told him he could not touch her like that and that it was messing with her, he responded, "If you don't want me to touch your tits, I won't touch your tits." One of these players reported that Dames's late-night texts on subjects unrelated to soccer felt "inappropriate." Cromwell's, Greene's, and Reis's conduct could discourage players and staff from reporting misconduct in the future, and their conduct, therefore, directly contradicted the 2022 Anti-Harassment Policy, which aims to detect and prevent misconduct, protect players and others from retaliation for engaging in Protected Activity, and create a safe working environment for players. This includes harassment; sexual harassment; discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local laws; bullying; sexual misconduct, including the use of coercion, force, intimidation, or certain power imbalances; emotional misconduct; physical misconduct; and retaliation. (Paulson has since deleted these tweets.) On July 16, 2021, Gotham announced that General Manager Alyse LaHue was terminated following an investigation into a complaint that she had violated NWSL policy. Development of an Anti-Harassment Policy. The NWSL should also periodically assess the effectiveness of its training programs by reviewing participant evaluations and ensuring that the training materials reflect the latest guidance or norms on workplace conduct. Another comment said that the "coach made this year horrible for most people" and expressed uncertainty that people would be honest in their survey responses "out of fear." The player heard that during the meeting, Wilkinson asked about Shim's March 2021 email to the NWSL and stated he could not believe Riley had been hired by The Joint Investigative Team encouraged players and other witnesses to share their experiences in the manner they found most comfortable. The investigation began in May 2018, and within a few weeks, another player made a separate complaint to the NWSL about Dames. The training for players should address appropriate communication between coaches and players, including soccer-specific constructive criticism, and should provide examples of conduct or scenarios that professional players could potentially encounter. B. ..13 However, this position appears inconsistent with the email from the Thorns's counsel transmitting the Riley report to the League, which Plush received and which did not place any restrictions on the League. So far, the league and club have done a fine job keeping the details under wraps. According to this player, in her experience, the film sessions were professional rather than social; players would go to Riley's hotel room to review film, and then leave. Players were frequently reminded of the fragility and financial instability of the League. She was. Players Experienced an Array of Interpersonal Misconduct, and Reports of That Misconduct Were Mishandled A 2012 ESPN article later reported that Borislow's conduct included verbal abuse and sexually suggestive comments towards players. As described in the following sections, the failure to fully and adequately investigate and address these reports harmed NWSL players and discouraged players and other stakeholders from reporting misconduct. The changes we made were to become a better soccer team." As a result, Racing Louisville did not learn about Holly's mistreatment of Sky Blue players prior to his hiring. The NWSL and NWSLPA authorized the Report's release, in its entirety, to the NWSL community and the public. Gulati further noted that it was his understanding that U.S. Soccer could not impose discipline on Dames, and that, in his view, U.S. Soccer had "no ability to discipline coaches as manager or as the governing body." 98, Multiple players also voiced concerns that coaches found to have committed misconduct were not terminated but were instead allowed to resign from their positions. The NWSL should require clubs to review and update their anti-harassment policies to be at least as protective of individuals who file complaints or participate in NWSL investigations as the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy. Additionally, the policy requires each club to designate two individuals to receive reports of potential misconduct, at least one of whom must not be the club's Board of Governors representative or head coach. The banned coaches engaged in sexual misconduct, verbal and emotional abuse and made sexist and racist remarks to players, a 14-month investigation found. Paulson told the Joint Investigative Team that he had recalled that Golub received a call from Lines during which they discussed the allegations against Riley, but Paulson no longer believes that call occurred because Golub and others have told him it did not. The statement called on the NWSL to (i) open an independent investigation into the issues described by The Athletic; (ii) suspend any staff accused of violating the anti-harassment policy; and (iii) disclose how Riley was hired within the NWSL after leaving another club following an investigation into his misconduct. Though Levine cautioned Whisler against retaliation, Levine confirmed to Whisler the identity of the complaining player. When Baird asked Levine if they should meet with Farrelly, Levine replied that they should email Farrelly first. The NWSL Players Association ("NWSLPA") also demanded an independent investigation into abusive conduct. face allegations of misconduct. Ratings: Fofana 8/10 as Chelsea pick up first league win in six, Ten Hag must learn from Mourinho to ensure Man United's Carabao Cup win is just the start, Raul and Valverde are keeping Madrid prodigy Alvaro's feet on the ground, Man United must make every penny count to beat FFP and continue recovery, LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen on Kane despite new Choupo-Moting contract. . The report says he declined to respond to requests to participate in this investigation., READ MORE: Megan Rapinoe criticizes Paul Riley, who briefly coached her on the Philadelphia Independence. While Whisler acknowledged receiving each of these complaints, he said he felt there was no "pattern" of complaints and wished he had received more information in order to take action earlier. 6. Levine explained to the Joint Investigative Team that she made the report "the day [she] learned of [the] sexual relationship between [Riley] and a player," referring to Farrelly. Non-fraternization policies need to extend beyond just head coaches as demonstrated within the report with very critical language regarding relationships between players and staff. The Flash also wrote to the Joint Investigative Team that the "only negative reference" made was that Riley did not mesh well with all of the personalities" in the locker room, and Wilkinson had said to get Riley if the Flash could. Duffy similarly stated that she did not recall why Levine sent her the report at that time. While many clubs properly submitted candidates for the required vetting once these processes were in place, on at least two occasions, clubs hired player-facing staff and allowed them to begin working before they were cleared by the NWSL. As noted above, the Thorns asserted privilege over the report in responding to At one point during the 2017 season, players held a meeting with coaching staff to address their concerns that Holly was dating Pearce Rampone. The failure to fully share information between stakeholders in women's soccer was also an issue during the USSF Dames Investigation. Multiple players described being made to feel like they were a charity case for their ownership, rather than professional athletes. As described in the following sections, these failures harmed NWSL players and discouraged players and other stakeholders from reporting misconduct. Ex-Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley fired from NWSL team amid allegations of sexual misconduct, Joanna Lohman was fooled by Paul Riley in Philadelphia, where he allegedly coerced her teammates, Megan Rapinoe criticizes Paul Riley, who briefly coached her on the Philadelphia Independence, Equalizer Soccer reported the anti-harassment detail, U.S. Soccer promises action after Yates investigation details abuse and sexual coercion in NWSL, California residents do not sell my data request. A witness recalled that when introducing a staff member to the front office, a general manager announced that the staff member was "engaged to one of [the] players." After re-signing her in 2021, the club issued a public apology "to all those we have hurt, especially those within the LGBTQIA+ community, but stood by its decision, keeping Daniels on the team for the remainder of the season. She also recalled that when the club left the player unprotected in an expansion draft, the staff member "went berserk" and "th[rew] other players under the bus." One player identified by Cromwell and Greene as having been involved in the March 2022 investigation was informed that the club was either waiving her or buying out her contract. In addition to the SafeSport Trained Core Course, players who are not minors are required to take a 30-minute SafeSport Training for Adult Athletes. Players from the team met with club owners Angie and Chris Long, and other club staff, to raise these concerns. Soccer." As noted above, Riley called Mana Shim "hot" and "sexy." In one text, he sent her a photo of himself in compression shorts. In interviews with the Joint Investigative Team, both Levine and Duffy remembered that they paused the NWSL investigation at Wahlke's request. Shim described Riley as obsessed" with players' romantic and dating relationships. Most critically, when the investigation was completed, U.S. Soccer did not communicate the results of the investigation to the players, the Red Stars, or the NWSL on the basis of attorney-client privilege. Subscribers toThe Equalizer now receive 50% offtheirsubscription toThe Nextfor 24/7 coverage of womens basketball. Years after both Shim and Farrelly left the Thorns, the former teammates spoke about their experiences with Riley, and Farrelly shared with Shim her own experiences with Riley's misconduct. In a Tweet late Friday afternoon, the National Women's Soccer League club announced that LaHue had, as of July 9 - a week ago today - was no longer employed by the team. The player was traded shortly thereafter. In addition to the lack of information at Sky Blue, NWSL personnel did not have a clear understanding of why Holly left Sky Blue. Shim had told a teammate, Alex Morgan, about some of Riley's conduct and had consulted Morgan regarding reporting. The article also noted Horan's observation that Benstiti's insistence on weight loss was "more [about] how you were seen and not how it was helping you play. An April 2019 Adidas commercial focused on Horan overcoming her negative experience with Benstiti. Whisler said he believed that Dames might still be able to assist with the draft or contribute to the club in other ways, and wanted to "preserve the option in the agreement. Gotham FC,. The agreement provided Dames with an additional five weeks of pay, and prohibited Dames and the Red Stars from disparaging the other or disclosing to anyone the existence and content of the agreement, with no exception for cooperation with the ongoing investigations. C. She told investigators she recognized Riley "had been 'grooming' her for sexual abuse" after reading The Athletic's initial story on his abuse. 122, The NWSL should consider requiring that the club explain the reasons for any planned player transaction or staff termination during this timeframe, and the NWSL should ask followup questions and investigate further if it suspects retaliation was a motivating factor behind any of the planned player transactions or staff terminations. It acknowledged that the League had a "need to know," and that an "allegation that a head coach has acted inappropriately toward a player is obviously of concern to the League." E. Each individual was invited to speak with the Joint Investigative Team. One player provided multiple examples of instances in which she felt Dames had used personal information against players. Eight different ownership groups and 15 individuals -- including some from the NWSL and U.S. Soccer -- come under detailed scrutiny in the latest report. Around 2020, the NWSLPA took on a more active and public role in advocating for player safety and well-being. Precious little information has been available about what went down between LaHue and Gotham. The NWSL should ensure as part of its vetting process that prospective owners entering the NWSL express their personal commitment to protecting player safety, to combatting misconduct in all its forms, and to facilitating appropriate reporting of concerns. One player recalled that she and her teammates were told by their club, "People would die to be in [your] shoes," and that if the players had issues with the club or the League, they don't have a problem waiving you." Holly spoke with investigators for the Yates report but pulled out of a scheduled interview with the joint investigation after the release of the Yates report, which of course publicly revealed his misconduct for the first time. Exit interviews should ask players questions to probe whether they have knowledge or awareness of any incidents of misconduct not previously reported. . Leaders from U.S. Soccer and the League also argued that decision-making authority lay with the club owners, through the Board of Governors. When Riley was head coach of the Thorns, after a night out drinking alcohol with Thorns players, Riley brought Shim and Farrelly to his apartment, made additional alcohol available, tried to grind" against Shim, and told Farrelly and Shim that if they kissed each other, the team would not have to run an intensive fitness drill that week. 116 The 2015 Thorns Investigation into Riley was mishandled, and the Thorns, U.S. Soccer and the NWSL consistently failed to treat the allegations and findings against Riley seriously and to be transparent about them. The League should consider stronger restrictions on the use of such agreements in matters involving sexual misconduct or physical abuse. For at least one player, the limited size and resources of the League contributed to an impression that clubs were solely or primarily responsible for handling investigations. Around this time, a Racing Louisville staff member raised concerns that Holly was romantically involved with another staff member at Racing Louisville and that this alleged relationship negatively impacted the team environment. In his interview with the Joint Investigative Team, Clarkson exhibited a lack of candor. Numerous individuals relayed that as a result, Cromwell and Greene stopped speaking to players who they believed had participated in the March Investigation and who did not show contrition in the aftermath. While O'Connor could not recall what level of detail he provided related to Holly's misconduct, he recalled telling players that the player requested the club not "go into detail" and that the club would respect the player's wishes. On a third team, a player described her coach threatening players with waiver after the coach heard that those players had questioned decisions he made during training. Despite having this information, Duffy did not express any concerns about Riley to the Courage, Riley's employer at the time. .17 4. Lydia Wahlke (U.S. Soccer, Chief Legal Officer, 2017-2020) Hendrix said Simon shared Holly's comment with her, and Holly's "nonchalant response to Simon asking him to stop touching her made them wonder if he was "doing something to someone else." The player explained that although she repeatedly pushed back against LaHues inappropriate conduct, LaHue persisted, the investigations report said. Leading up to this meeting, Simon had been nervous, because she had been able to avoid one-on-one meetings with Holly until then. Consider Creating an Alternative Complaint Resolution Program On October 10, 2022, the NWSL publicly announced that the Joint Investigative Team found that Cromwell and Greene engaged in retaliation and attempted retaliation, in violation of NWSL policy, against Pride players whom Cromwell and Greene believed had made or supported earlier misconduct allegations against them, and that Reis violated NWSL policy by not fully cooperating with the retaliation investigation. Former Sky Blue President and General Manager Tony Novo told the Joint Investigative Team that Holly was "let go" from Sky Blue in 2017. Horan also said "the French coach was very brutal with it." LaHue's inappropriate messages continued even after the player told LaHue that it felt like LaHue was acting like a jealous girlfriend," and asked LaHue to "accept that we are working together and nothing more. The player explained that although she repeatedly pushed back against LaHue's inappropriate On one occasion, Dames called her into his office in the presence of his two assistant coaches and said that the two assistant coaches had told him she "had a really bad attitude" and was a bad teammate. When appropriate, the Joint Investigative Team interviewed individuals more than once. Multiple players told the Joint Investigative Team that they felt disconnected from the NWSL or did not know who at the NWSL to contact if they experienced misconduct. On the international stage, the United States has been a powerhouse of women's soccer. When recalling their early experiences in the NWSL, multiple players described feeling grateful in situations ranging from practicing in subpar facilities, to living with host families, to accepting a salary of $6,000 a year, to not being traded in retaliation for reporting a complaint. "The club has a tremendous history and close relationship with its fans, so it was important we listened and remained completely openminded throughout the process. Shortly after Garcia began investigating, the Thorns retained a law firm to assist in the investigation. The NWSL should store all documents, including a written record of the investigation, in a central location. .85 The NWSL should consider providing resources to support players and staff working to advance the interests of diverse and marginalized groups. The League is also part of a soccer ecosystem in which mistreatment of players is endemic one which affects not only the NWSL, but other professional leagues, both domestic and abroad, the report says. The separation agreement included mutual non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions, and a mutual release of claims. On October 6, 2021, NWSL teams returned to play for the first time since publication of the Athletic article. Historically, the processes and procedures for players to elevate concerns about club staff have varied across clubs. Players also expressed concerns about the financial viability of their individual clubs. The player wondered, "Are you going to get a jokey type of day, or is he going to make your life hell that day?" The NWSL should consider creating an Alternative Complaint Resolution program as an additional resource to address conduct that is not covered by the Anti-Harassment Policy. Ownership terminated Ms. LaHues employment on July 9 and stands by that decision.. 8. As described below, individuals from U.S. Soccer, including General Counsel Lisa Levine, her successor Chief Legal Officer Lydia Wahlke, President Sunil Gulati, and CEO Dan Flynn, failed on numerous occasions to disclose what they knew about Riley's misconduct to other NWSL clubs that hired him. Given the pervasive fear of retaliation in the NWSL, the absence of an anti-retaliation provision is particularly problematic. An attorney retained by the Thorns following the report by Shim did not conduct any interviews or otherwise play an active role in the investigation. One club, in hiring a head coach, spoke to management at two of the coach's former clubs, individuals at the League and U.S. Soccer, players at one of the coach's former clubs, player agents, and a non-NWSL-affiliated member of the women's soccer community. In 2017, players in the League formed the NWSLPA to unite professional and amateur players on NWSL rosters who were not allocated to the League by the U.S. or Canadian national teams. An investigation commissioned by the National Women's Soccer League and its players union found "widespread misconduct" directed at players dating back to the beginnings nearly a decade ago of the The investigation did not focus on player-on-player misconduct or misconduct directed at League or club staff. 16, the League come with the mentality of doing you a favor." Emotional Misconduct The NWSL celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2022. A player also recounted hearing that around this time, Wilkinson asked Shim's agent at the time to meet in Portland. In explaining the transactions the club made before the next season, Williams said, "We needed to make a lot of changes-we were last [in the League]. 63, 6. This trial and error process is what highlights need and in turn creates important policies and guidelines for stability in our infrastructure, Zerboni told Equalizer. Mental Health First Aid training teaches participants how to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. After experiencing weight-shaming by Pauw and Riley, witnesses reported that players developed eating disorders and sought mental health treatment. .3 The latest report into allegations of abuse in American womens soccer was published on Tuesday by the National Womens Soccer League and the NWSL Players Association. While the player surveys asked players to rate the knowledge and skill set of certain club staff, including coaching staff, the surveys did not ask specific questions about any misconduct the players experienced or observed. On the other hand, some thought Clarkson handled the situation well and reported that he later expressed his support and apologized if he had appeared insensitive. The Joint Investigative Team found, for example, that club staff in positions of power made inappropriate sexual remarks to players, mocked players' bodies, pressured players to lose unhealthy amounts of weight, crossed professional boundaries with players, and created volatile and manipulative working conditions. Ms. LaHue was placed on unpaid administrative leave while the NWSLs third-party investigator reviewed the matter. 5. The 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced free agency for a subset of players that meet certain service requirements. For example, multiple players on the Red Stars reported that players were concerned that the club would fold if it received negative press. The player said she did not report Burke's abusive behavior to Baldwin because she "figured he'd go to [Burke] and [she would] get waived during the season." Despite reports from players that club staff and ownership were aware of Burkes mistreatment of players, the Spirit did not launch an investigation into Burke until the club learned that a Washington Post article would publicly reveal allegations that Burke verbally and emotionally abused players and made racially insensitive comments. Kurtz said that she found the text to be "weird" and was confused as to whether Riley was trying to invite her to the bar. Texts between the player and Burke indicate Burke spoke to her supportively at one point in or around June 2020 about her U.S. Soccer's 2019 Consideration of Riley for U.S. Women's National Team Coach Flynn clarified that while he was copied on "several emails that relate to the results of those surveys," he did not recall ever personally reviewing them. In the player survey, Thorns players anonymously commented that Riley "ripped/yelled at players in a hurtful, non-productive way," was "verbally abussive [sic]," and would "call [players] dumb, stupid, slow, idiotic, retarded, we have no balls, we will never be better than the average 16 year old boy, worthless." Simon said she told Holly that now that he was her boss, he would have to stop the inappropriate behavior, and he replied that he had until January 1, because that was when her contract started. F. We have so much work to do." Alyse LaHue @alahue Follow @alahue 58, imbalance between supervisors and their reports; (ii) the threat of favoritism; and Estes and O'Connor later joined the meeting. The anti-retaliation trainings should explain that ostracizing players or staff or ignoring them, denying players certain training opportunities or playing time, or showing favoritism toward certain other players or staff could be retaliatory if a motivating factor for engaging in the conduct relates to those individuals participating in a Protected Activity under the AntiHarassment Policy. Players, fans, and the public reacted with outrage. Clarkson put her in as a substitute, and she soon began struggling with pain. Investigators also call for more centralized hiring processes, including background checks with references for all prospective club owners, staff, and volunteers who might interact with players. Mishandling of Paul Riley's Misconduct by U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and the Portland Thorns Reis was placed on unpaid administrative leave and is required to participate in mandatory training regarding retaliation, discrimination, harassment and bullying, and must participate in mandatory executive coaching. 44, words, speaking to individuals who were critical of Dames and those supportive of him. Like any league or business in its infant stages, we learn from experience and mistakes. They stated that they had difficulty convincing the Board of Governors to act. The Joint Investigative Team created an email address and phone number for individuals to confidentially provide information. Players told the Joint Investigative Team that the NWSL's culture and the unstable history of women's professional soccer in the United States deterred them from raising concerns about abuse, bullying, harassment, and other forms of misconduct.

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