USA captain Becky Sauerbrunn on National Women’s Soccer League abuse: ‘The responsible parties must go’

United States captain Becky Sauerbrunn has called for the removal of people from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and US Soccer who failed to protect players from abuse after an investigation found revealed widespread misconduct in the professional league.

A year ago, US Soccer brought in former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and King & Spalding LLP to conduct an independent investigation after a report in Athleticism described allegations of abuse in the NWSL, causing a league-wide toll.

Findings from the Yates Report, released on Monday, said sexual abuse and misconduct affected multiple teams and coaches, and that the NWSL and US Soccer had failed to put “basic measures” in place to protect players or ” respond appropriately when faced with player reports and evidence of abuse.

US Soccer said it would move quickly to implement the reforms. The NWSL said it would immediately review the findings of the investigation.

“I think for so long it’s been incumbent on the players to demand change,” Sauerbrunn said, speaking to reporters in London, where the United States are set to face European champions England. a friendly match on Friday.

“It’s because people in positions of authority and decision-making have repeatedly failed to protect us and failed to hold each other accountable. Who are you really protecting and what values ​​are you upholding? You failed in your management.

“All US Soccer owners, managers and officials who have repeatedly let players down, failed to protect players, hid behind the law and failed to participate in these investigations should be removed.

“At the bare minimum, the recommendations contained in Sally Yates’ report should be immediately implemented by US Soccer and the league.”

Friday’s match was expected to be a joyous occasion for the four-time world champions, as they take on England in front of a sold-out crowd at Wembley Stadium.

Instead, American players are wearing the jersey of a federation that hasn’t provided basic abuse protection to top-level American professional league players for years, according to the Yates report.

“The players are not well. We are horrified and heartbroken and frustrated and exhausted and really, really angry. We are angry that it took a third-party investigation,” Sauerbrunn said.

Alana Cook, who plays for OL Reign, added: “I think we have such an important opportunity on Friday, playing at a sold-out Wembley Stadium, and it’s spoiled by this report and it’s spoiled by the atrocities who were tolerated and tolerated and allowed to continue.”

After Wembley, the United States travel to Pamplona to face Spain, a team embroiled in their own controversy after the Spanish federation (RFEF) released a statement last month saying they had received 15 emails from players claiming that their relationship with their coach affected their emotional state. .

Paulson, owner of the Portland Thorns: “The darkest day”

Moments before Sauerbrunn met the media, Merritt Paulson, owner and CEO of the Portland Thorns, said he would step back from “Thorns-related decision-making” until a joint investigation between the NWSL and National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) be published.

The Yates report states that the Thorns organization interfered with access to witnesses and “raised specious legal arguments in an attempt to prevent our use of the relevant documents.”

The report also states that the club did not make public accusations of abuse against a coach after he terminated his contract in 2015 and that US Soccer and the NWSL did not stop him from coaching elsewhere despite knowing the allegations.

“Yesterday’s unveiling of the Yates report was the darkest day I have ever known,” Paulson said in a statement. “I imagine it was even harder and darker for those whose stories were shared publicly.”

Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler, who shrugged off complaints about inappropriate actions by coach Rory Dames last year, also stepped down from coaching the team on Tuesday. Dames finally resigned last November.

Whisler wrote in a statement: “Our organization is committed to restoring trust and respect between players and staff towards our league and our club, and I recognize that my current presence is a distraction. I do not want to distract the attention of the players’ incredible and well-deserved playoff run.

“So, in the interest of the club, the players and the fans we serve, I will immediately step down from my governance role on the NWSL Board of Governors and hand over operational control of the club to our management team at Chicago.”

Daly: The women’s football community stands in solidarity with the players

England international Rachel Daly said the women’s football community “stands in solidarity with the players”.

“I was saddened to see him [the report]. Coming out of the training ground at this news, it’s heartbreaking and it was sickening,” said the Aston Villa player. sky sports.

“I could use a lot of words to describe how I felt about it, but these really come to mind.

“It’s absolutely terrifying that girls are still going through this and people are abusing power.

“For us as women it’s a very dangerous place when things like this happen and all I can do and say is that the rest of the women’s football community stands in solidarity with the girls who have been affected.

“For me personally, I’m very proud that they’re coming out and openly having a safe space to talk about these things. They should never have to talk about these things because they should never go through these things, and that’s disgusting.

“But the NWSLPA has done a fantastic job there. They’re a brilliant group of women and players and behind the scenes they work tirelessly to create a safe space where everyone can talk about things.

“My heart is with them and I hope these things can finally stop.”

Bronze: Eliminate top-of-the-line abuse

Daly’s England teammate Lucy Bronze, who honed her skills in the US university system, said stamping out abusive behavior and sexual misconduct was “high on the list” of changes needed in women’s sport.

“Women’s sport in general tends to have these issues and I think they’ve probably been going on for a long time, but people were never brave enough to speak up,” Bronze said.

“So it’s not necessarily a novelty. The novelty is that we are finally fighting against that.

“It’s obviously very sad to read these stories. I’m very lucky to have had a career where I didn’t have any of these issues.

“I never looked back and thought, ‘That was kind of funny’. I’d like to think a lot of my team-mates are lucky enough to say that too.

“We’ve been saying for a long time that a lot of things need to change in women’s sport and that’s high on the list to change.

“It’s not just women’s football that has horrible stories of abuse and allegations happening – there are many women’s sports where this has happened and we support all women who come out and speak out. .”