NWSL Joint Investigation Report: What you need to know
By Oliver Hunt
The NWSL released its joint investigation report which highlights misconduct and abuse, exacerbated by outdated infrastructure and a lack of effective reporting channels.
The National Women’s Soccer League and NWSL Player’s Association released their joint investigation report on misconduct within the NWSL on Wednesday. This report comes after the release of US Soccer’s Yates report in early October. The reports conclude similar findings, with the most recent one covering a broader spectrum of misconduct. The report states that “the Joint Investigative Team found widespread misconduct directed at NWSL players.”
The report highlights misconduct at every level of the league, with the biggest issues being overall systemic problems. The content of the report and this article is graphic and viewer discretion is advised. The report goes into more detail about several high-profile misconduct situations, regarding Paul Riley, Rory Dames, and Christy Holly.
NWSL Joint Investigation Report reveals enormous problems
It goes on to discuss misconduct in every area, not just sexual harassment. Players were subjected to racially motivated remarks, emotional abuse, and abuse of power dynamics between staff and players engaging in relationships.
The biggest takeaway from the report is the lack of infrastructure and resources available to players when dealing with misconduct. The league has suffered from a lack of protections in place for players, including a lack of vetting and background checks for staff until recently, as detailed from the report below.
"“Background checks and reputational vetting of player-facing club employees were not mandatory for much of the NWSL’s existence. Many of the coaches and individuals who engaged in misconduct and who are discussed in this Report were not appropriately vetted by their clubs.”"
It points out that “Until 2021, the NWSL did not have a formal policy prohibiting harassment.”
NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman responded to the report after its release with the statement below.
"“This report clearly reflects how our league systemically failed to protect our players. On behalf of the Board and the league, let me first and foremost sincerely apologize to our players for those failures and missteps. They deserve, at a minimum, a safe and secure environment to participate at the highest level in a sport they love, and they have my unwavering commitment that delivering that change will remain a priority each and every day,”"
The report itself highlights changes that should be made to the league including strengthening anti-harassment policies, developing clearer guidelines, and improving coordination between clubs and US Soccer regarding hiring practices. The NWSL responded with their actions moving forward and will provide an update on their progress ahead of the 2023 season.