Saturday, October 2nd, 2021
US gaming operations are interrupted
League boss resigns due to abuse scandal
The US women’s soccer league is upside down: Four coaches have already been kicked out because female players accuse them of sexual assault. The league boss is now stumbling over the latest case. She resigns after she, too, is severely attacked.
After an abuse scandal involving former coaches in the US women’s soccer professional league NWSL became known, league boss Lisa Baird has resigned. The league confirmed this in a short statement on Twitter. Accordingly, the NWSL accepted a corresponding offer of resignation from Baird. According to media reports, General Counsel Lisa Levine must also leave.
Meanwhile, the world association FIFA opened an investigation into the cases on Friday, as did the US association, which co-founded the league in 2013 and continues to provide financial support, even though the league has been independent for a year.
The trigger was the allegations of the players Sinead Farrelly and Meleana Shim. You had described the alleged sexual assaults of your ex-trainer Paul Riley in an article on the portal “The Athletic”. The North Carolina Courage club then dismissed the Englishman, and the US association withdrew his license. Riley denies the allegations, which drew violent reactions in the country of the world champions.
“I’m disgusted and have too many thoughts to share right now. Conclusion: Protect your players,” wrote World Champion Alex Morgan. Superstar Megan Rapinoe said on Twitter: “Burn everything down. Let all their heads roll.” Riley has worked for various clubs in the NWSL since 2010.
The league then interrupted its game operations and canceled all games scheduled for this weekend. Baird had already taken responsibility for it. “I’m sorry for the pain so many feel,” she said. She is under criticism because she has not responded to evidence of the scandal since April. Farrelly had written a letter to Baird at the time, suggesting a serious investigation against Riley.
The Riley case wasn’t the first. Two other coaches had previously lost their posts due to misconduct. The Association of Women Players (NWSLPA) even criticized “systemic abuse” in the league. A fourth case occurred at OL Reign, the club of national player Dzsenifer Marozsan since the summer, where Farid Benstiti resigned. The female players’ association NWSLPA spoke of “systemic abuse”.