NWSL: "The League failed to protect players and prevent future misconduct" (report)

"The NWSL failed to take measures to protect players and prevent future misconduct," stated the US law firms Covington & Burling LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in their report into discrimination, harassment, abuse (physical, mental or sexual) and bullying in the NWSL, released after a 14-month investigation, on 14/12/2022.

"This report details the joint investigative team’s observations and findings regarding individuals responsible for acts of interpersonal misconduct directed at players; individuals and institutions connected to women's professional soccer who failed to prevent and address this misconduct; and cultural and systemic issues that contributed to, and were perpetuated by, those incidents," explained the firms.

The investigation was commissioned by the National Women's Soccer League and the NWSLPA (the association representing NWSL players) in October 2021, following the publication of an article in The Athletic in late September 2021 alleging the sexual abuse of two NWSL players by their coach. Despite the denunciation of the facts in 2015, the accused (Paul Riley…