alyse lahue relationship

One player said the team reached its "breaking point" when Benstiti gave a speech about diet during a losing streak in the summer of 2021. . Coaches also should not be in a direct supervisory position over club medical staff and should not be in a position to unilaterally terminate or otherwise impose disciplinary action on medical staff without consulting with the managers of the club. As noted above, Riley called Mana Shim "hot" and "sexy." However, the NWSL did not implement relevant policies until years later; the NWSL's anti-fraternization policy was implemented in January 2018, and its anti-harassment policy was implemented in April 2021, after a push by NWSL players. History of Professional Women's Soccer in the United States July 9, 2021 Alyse LaHue is fired as general manager of Gotham FC . In August 2020, Holly was named head coach of Racing Louisville, and in November 2020, Holly selected Simon in the expansion draft. Coaches and Club Staff Whereas the Yates report intentionally focused on what it deemed the most egregious abusers, the joint investigation scrutinized more nuanced incidents of emotional abuse and power imbalances that caused players to report that they contemplated quitting, had panic attacks and, in some cases, needed therapy. Additionally, club HR staff were not provided guidance from the NWSL on appropriate coaching behavior in a professional sports setting. The club also wrote to the Joint Investigative Team that Johnson and Malik spoke with Plush from the NWSL, with Gulati and Flynn from U.S. Soccer, and with Paulson from the Thorns. Riley and Holly were not the only club staff members reported to have made unwanted sexual advances toward players. d) Failure to Investigate Alyse LaHue (Sky Blue and Gotham, Vice President, 20182019, General Manager, 2019-2021) 1. When the Courage employed Riley as their head coach in 2017 in connection with their purchase of the Flash, they received insufficient information about the extent of Riley's misconduct while at the Thorns. Levine remembered that Holly left Sky Blue because of his relationship with Pearce Rampone and that the relationship created "issues with team chemistry but could not recall any complaints or concerns with respect to Holly's treatment of players. Many players emphasized to the Joint Investigative Team that they are willing to take tough coaching, or as one player put it, "harsh criticism with direction." D. For example, he would ask Shim to come to his apartment to review game film, and on two occasions, she went. Text messages between Whisler and Dames in the days following the complaint suggest that Levines approach to the investigation increased the risk of both retaliation against players and interference with the investigation. It was not an official or recognized union; it had no full-time staff, and it was run by active players. 5. A player for the Courage said Riley "would ask [her] to dinner in a "very casual way." Some of these remarks were not necessarily targeted toward specific players but were made openly in the presence of other club staff and/or players and created an unwelcome working environment, especially for players of color. When Simon arrived at Holly's house, Pearce Rampone was not there. Malik, on the other hand, provided a contrary explanation of his communications with Paulson. Players reported that Pauw's comments affected a teammate struggling with an eating disorder. Given their public roles in U.S. Soccer, League, and club management, this Report also uses the names of individuals in the following roles: (i) club owners involved in day-to-day club management; (ii) club leadership and management, including presidents, general managers, and other equivalent positions; (iii) the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors and senior members of U.S. Soccer management; (iv) members of League management; and (v) where necessary, outside counsel and consultants. The player told Predmore she understood. 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. When one player opened the door, she told Harrington that she and her roommate did not want to go back out for drinks. The NWSL should confirm that each club has designated such individuals and that those individuals are aware of their obligation to report any complaints or reports of violations of the Anti-Harassment Policy to the NWSL HR Office or the NWSL General Counsel within 24 hours of receiving the report. For instance, a member of the NWSL office expressed concern in February 2022-over two months after the temporary protocols were implementedthat there was still "confusion" over whether certain members of club staff On November 4, 2022, these findings were conveyed to the NWSL, NWSLPA, Thorns, Wilkinson, and the player involved. A player recalled this same coach making comments about what players "had on their plates" and "food-shaming" players. The agreement also provided that Racing Louisville would take over the future payment obligations of Holly's apartment lease if Holly vacated the apartment. The player who raised a complaint to the Courage, Kaleigh Kurtz, had joined the Courage in 2018 and was initially pleased to be playing for Riley. Plush told the Joint Investigative Team that the Flash had been considering Riley since October 2015, and Plush warned Lines in October 2015 that the Flash should not hire Riley but should follow up with the Thorns as to why Riley was "no longer coaching there." 114, staff and players to identify conditions and circumstances for socializing that prioritize player safety and respect for boundaries. 85, In contrast, the NWSL's 2021 Anti-Harassment Policy prohibited certain forms of misconduct even if the conduct was not unlawful. 2. In addition to reports of misconduct involving Paul Riley, Rory Dames, and Christy Holly, described in detail below, the Joint Investigative Team identified many instances of coaches, staff, club leadership, and other individuals in positions of power engaging in misconduct directed at players. . Another Spirit player pointed out the disconnect between Burke's verbal attacks and constructive performance improvement: Burke "would pick on someone, and then he would see they were playing worse because he was picking on them, and pick on them more. Then, in the spring of 2022, came additional complaints and concerns that Clarkson would retaliate against players since he was aware of an investigation into him, which led to his suspension. Plush said he subsequently spoke to Joe Sahlen over the phone in December 2015 reiterating that the club should not hire Riley. O'Connor defended the club's approach, saying he told the players that everyone would get together to discuss their concerns. 93, In one case, an individual designated to receive player complaints was accused of misconduct, leaving players feeling as though they had no recourse to report those individuals. Riley declined to respond to requests to participate in this investigation. Misconduct on any level cannot be tolerated, and clear reporting lines along with proper vetting must be enshrined in NWSL policies. Levine, who was General Counsel of U.S. Soccer at the time, told the Joint Investigative Team that she recalled the comments about Lines were "very unfavorable." The policy should provide clear definitions and explanations of microaggressions so staff and players can identify and understand them, and it should explain how microaggressions and racist, antisemitic, and other derogatory language can constitute harassment. He is quoted in the report as saying, [S]ome number of players each year wither under [Dames's] approach, don't respond well, and need to leave for their own good." Players at the Current said that the friendly relationship between Huw Williams and club owners Chris and Angie Long, dating back to Williams's management of the Longs's daughter's youth soccer club, affected players' ability to report misconduct. Another player stated that her team had been "brainwashed" into thinking that Riley's coaching methods were necessary for the team to win. While traveling for an away game in June, Riley pressured Shim over text message to have a drink with him in his hotel room. Vera Pauw, who was the Houston Dash head coach in 2018 and is currently the head coach of the Ireland women's national team -- which will play in its first Women's World Cup next year -- was also identified in the report. This reduces the risk that the concentration of power in a single individual will chill reporting of misconduct. Some clubs provide housing for both staff and players, and in some cases, staff and players lived in the same apartment complexes. e) Just get out there and fucking play." Despite these recurrent issues, Whisler told the investigator that he believed that Dames had improved in his demeanor, mindset, and patience during his years as head coach and that Dames would not "be hard on someone unless he [thought] they [had] it within them to rise up." 113, players and those in supervisory roles over players is strictly prohibited, even if the relationship is consensual. Players and club staff also reported that Dames exercised control over players' social lives. Moreover, individual acts of misconduct in the League cannot be addressed without considering the failures in institutional structures, policies, and proceduresat U.S. Soccer, the League, and individual clubs-that have allowed misconduct to persist. Awesome! It further stated that any employee "who believes they have been subject to or witnessed illegal discrimination, including sexual or other forms of unlawful harassment, is requested and enco couraged to make a complaint." One player said she felt that she could not breathe or think when Clarkson yelled at her as she was playing; another said she felt under the microscope based on the position she played and feared she would be cut from the team. While the emails between Whisler, Bailey, Flynn, and Gulati obtained by the Joint Investigative Team do not reflect this, Whisler said that he attempted, but was unable, to get more information from U.S. Soccer on the comments regarding Dames or direction on how to address them. The NWSL should designate a team of NWSL staff to review and analyze player survey results. Riley told Kaleigh Kurtz that he could "see the cellulite on [her] legs and that in order to retain her starting position, she needed to lose 14 pounds in 10 days. The Joint Investigative Team found no evidence that any of the 2020 player survey responses were elevated to Levine or anyone working in HR at the League. Gotham FC cooperated in all respects with the NWSL investigation. The assertion of legal privilege over the investigation, and various communication breakdowns, had the effect of enabling Riley to continue coaching in the NWSL for years after the Thorns fired him, leaving Riley's players, who were not provided with any reason to be wary of him, vulnerable to further misconduct. The NWSLPA encouraged and facilitated participation by a significant number of players, past and present. In that interview, Farrelly did not discuss, and Garcia did not ask, about Riley's other misconduct towards her, which was not uncovered until later. The same day, on August 15, 2019, Duffy forwarded the Thorns's attorney's 2015 email, along with the Thorns's investigative report and its supporting attachments, to then-U.S. Soccer Chief Legal Officer Lydia Wahlke. c) Inappropriate Player-Staff Relationships This investigation found that players lacked effective channels for reporting inappropriate behavior. Some within the NWSL held the misconception that SafeSport deals with misconduct against youth athletes and does not investigate misconduct against professional athletes. The NWSL did not distribute these player surveys consistently: player surveys were distributed yearly from 2013 to 2017, and again in 2020. NWSL and NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team Players reported the club did not take sufficient action to address players' concerns after the meeting. Prioritize DEI Initiatives to Create a More Inclusive Environment for All Players and Staff The group, including Thorp, went to Riley's apartment, though Thorp left shortly thereafter. Club HR staff also were not adequately trained or provided guidance on how to respond to allegations of misconduct or how to conduct sensitive investigations in a trauma-informed manner. This included not disclosing the identities of players interviewed, absent their express consent, to the NWSL, the NWSLPA, or any club, unless it was necessary to do so to prevent ongoing inappropriate conduct. According to Starr, Simon "begged her" not to say anything to anyone. Since 2019, some clubs have offered their own anti-harassment trainings, but those trainings have not been approved by the NWSL, and one club's HR staff reported that the NWSL had not been helpful in developing trainings. The New Jersey-based club wanted to recognize its growing reach across the region. Shim told Garcia that she did not want Riley to coach anywhere in the NWSL, which is why she had alerted the NWSL commissioner, Plush. Leaders from U.S. Soccer and the League also argued that decision-making authority lay with the club owners, through the Board of Governors. 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. In 2014, when he read that players felt Dames was creating "a hostile work environment," Whisler responded that the players who raised those concerns probably "didn't start or play the way they wanted to." She told Clarkson during a water break shortly after entering that she had to come off the field due to her injury. 45, In multiple instances, the USSF Dames Report's factual summary was directly contradicted by facts provided elsewhere in the report. A former player told the Joint Investigative Team she believed the investigation was "inconclusive because no action was taken." Malik also told the Joint Investigative Team that he consulted University of North Carolina, and former USWNT, Head Coach Anson Dorrance about Riley while he considered buying the club. She also played soccer through college at St. Ambrose U On the evening of the announcement of LaHue's firing from Gotham, a statement was provided by Kelly Hoffman, attorney for Alyse LaHue via Meg Linehan of The Athletic on Twitter reading: "Ms. LaHue denies the allegations made against her and will make no further comment." No further information was made public until October 2022. The Joint Investigative Team considered the following factors when deciding whether to identify an individual who engaged in misconduct: whether (i) the misconduct was widely reported in major news outlets; (ii) the misconduct was severe; (iii) the misconduct was repeated; and (iv) there is a risk of substantial harm to NWSL players, youth players, or others if the individual is not identified. The Joint Investigative Team promptly conducted a thorough investigation and, based on the evidence, found that Wilkinson did not engage in wrongdoing or violate the Anti-Harassment Policy. 42, Wahlke. When reflecting on his jokes related to Jewish people, Burke said that he did not know there had been Jewish people on the team. According to Garcia's interview notes, her interview with Farrelly lasted only 30 minutes, though Farrelly recalled it being even shorter. The phrase 'using personal information against you' appears to be a catch-all phrase used by players to capture conduct by Dames that was perceived as being mean toward players on a personal level." Kurtz came forward to the Courage and reported this misconduct. In addition to the lack of information at Sky Blue, NWSL personnel did not have a clear understanding of why Holly left Sky Blue. The second player expressed concern that even after players were told that Holly had been fired for cause, they knew he would be "going back to [their] apartments" to pack his things. Exit interviews should ask players questions to probe whether they have knowledge or awareness of any incidents of misconduct not previously reported. The Joint Investigative Team also reviewed documents collected from the League relating to League organizational structure, policies, and trainings regarding harassment, abuse, and discrimination, as well as documents related to complaints and reports of misconduct and investigations into those reports of misconduct, and communications between League personnel. The Joint Investigative Team asked Harrington for his cell phone records, with call and text details, for the month in question. To be clear, the USSF never had responsibility for the day-to-day management of the NWSL." Texts between the player and Burke indicate Burke spoke to her supportively at one point in or around June 2020 about her 25, advice of legal counsel. Such policies can create veils of secrecy around the dismissal of some coaches and allow them to be rehired elsewhere despite their misconduct. Another player also recalled hearing players say they "would be at [his] pool and drinking," but Riley would then "get mad" because he thought that the players should be training. Lisa Levine (U.S. Soccer, General Counsel, 2009-2017; NWSL, General Counsel, 2017-2021) On multiple occasions, instances of misconduct reported to U.S. Soccer, the League, and its member clubs were inadequately investigated or addressed. . The Committee should engage regularly with the Board of Governors and the Commissioner regarding DEI efforts and should be sufficiently resourced to implement meaningful DEI initiatives. The complainant explained that one night, Riley told two players that the team would not have to do fitness drills if they kissed. At Racing Louisville, for example, Holly lived in the same apartment complex as Simon and other players, one of whom described this arrangement as "weird." While recent efforts have been made to streamline the reporting and investigation procedures, the NWSL could take additional steps to further streamline and improve these procedures and communicate them more clearly to all players, club staff, and NWSL staff. 3. Hammond told the Joint Investigative Team that he remembered a call with Kurtz about her interest in a trade after the 2019 season, when Kurtz was in the process of negotiating a new contract. The investigator did not ask the players about this assertion or take other steps to determine the accuracy of the claim that the players wanted to return. The report itself did not include or reference any finding about the lawfulness of Riley's conduct. The Joint Investigative Team requested documents from every club through the appropriate club official or club counsel. Holly sent Simon a picture of his penis over WhatsApp. The NWSL should implement a responsible drinking policy stating that excessive consumption of alcohol at NWSL or club events, including during travel for games, is not tolerated and will result in disciplinary action. The NWSL should require annual written certifications from all NWSL and club staff and players certifying they have completed all mandatory annual trainings and that they have reviewed, understood, and agree to abide by the Anti-Harassment Policy. Giving Lahue a pass for something that is now a clear violation just because it's a newer policy would defeat the point of that necessary policy in the first place. As with former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates recent investigation for the U.S. Soccer Federation, this report did not hold back in its allegations. 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. Angie Long did not recall many details of discussions regarding these player transactions. Shim reported that at his apartment, Riley offered her wine and placed his hand on her leg. NWSL. The next day, the Thorns placed Riley on administrative leave pending an investigation, which Paulson directed Garcia to begin. They stated that they had difficulty convincing the Board of Governors to act. She also emphasized that she was focused on getting a balanced" perspective from interviewees; in other Racing Louisville In another example, one player reported that after a player lodg[ed] a complaint with the PA, Dames retaliated against the team by denying players their family time. According to the report summary, this concern "was not raised by any other player and was credibly denied by Dames and Whisler."

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