In solidarity, NWSL players suspend matches
Heather O'Reilly, a former USA international, says women's soccer in the US failed to address issues when it tried to establish the National Women's Soccer League.
After allegations of sexual misconduct against Paul Riley, North Carolina Courage coach, Riley was fired. The Englishman has denied the accusations.
Riley was also the coach of Portland Thorns in NWSL. This league began in 2013, after previous professional women's leagues in America had failed to survive for 10 years.
O'Reilly stated that players felt that they had to accept inappropriate behavior in order to build a career and that Riley's management system at North Carolina was "just deadly".
She said that "I believe women's soccer has swept under the rug a lot of negative things because we want the league succeed," World Football on BBC World Service.
"We want to keep our personal careers going and there aren't as many professional footballers. I believe that's why so many things get dealt with. You just have to accept it as a player.
"In the NWSL, there are not many HR employees at clubs and there isn't a hotline for players. That's why so much happens time after time, and there isn't any discipline."
O'Reilly was a World Cup champion in 2015 and three times Olympic gold medallist. She played her last two seasons under Riley at North Carolina.
O'Reilly, 36, said that O'Reilly was "certainly the man in charge" of the club. He was responsible for every aspect of the club. He was the coach [manager], but you could complain about the ownership or the physio to Paul.
"I think that the lack of checks and balances is what caused this problem. Because no single person should have this power. Everyone should not be responsible for managing their playing time, contracts, or health and well-being. It is dangerous.
"There should have been more outlets for these women to communicate and not feel like they were being punished." They were concerned about their careers and jobs.
Sinead Farrelly, Mana Shim and both were interviewed by The Athletic as part of an investigation into Riley's coaching practices since 2010.
Merritt Paulson, Portland Thorns' owner, stated Monday that Riley was suspended in 2015 following a complaint about Riley's behavior and that the club shared its findings with the NWSL.
He felt that they were "opaque” with the public about the issue and added: "I deeply regrette our role in what's clearly a systemic failing across women's soccer professional soccer."
I don't believe misconduct is only in NWSL – Corsie
"Her last 10 years could've been totally different"
Farrelly, 31 years old, played under Riley at Portland, and before that at Philadelphia Independence. This was the precursor to the 2011 World Cup.
O'Reilly says, "I recall that Sinead had been a young star." The 23-man World Cup squad had not been named, but it was obvious who they were. One of the 23 was then injured.
Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim (left), were Portland Thorns team-mates
They called Sinead, but she basically turned it down. Although I didn't know Sinead at the time, I recall feeling almost mad and almost disgusted that this young player refused to play with their national team at a World Cup.
"I can see that she was feeling those emotions now, and maybe that's part the guilt. Evidently, I didn't know what she was going though on a personal level. The timeline shows that things were beginning in her relationship with Paul.
"That was what led to her decision. I'm sure she will look back and say that the last 10 years of my professional and personal life could have been totally different."
"Sinead made the wonderful point that her pain has been given a purpose by this. Things are in place now for small and large organisations to ensure you have a safe place where you can voice your complaints. You shouldn't feel powerless."
"Essentially, we were gaslit for ten years."
Ciara McCormack, a former Republic of Ireland international, spoke out in 2019 about the alleged systemic abuse at Canadian Club Vancouver Whitecaps. Bob Birarda, ex-Whitecaps coach and Canada coach is currently facing nine sex-related accusations. External-link
She explained to The Sports Desk podcast that "in 2007 he was basically the gatekeeper, deciding which players would go on and who would not," It felt like I was under a dictatorship.
"We went to President of the Whitecaps and told him about what was happening. He also told [Birarda] that we had gone to him. My friend was benched in that summer, and I decided to go.
"In 2008, three senior players met with a mediator who determined that he should not coach anymore. They announced the mutual dissolution a week later, but it was clear that he had been fired for sexual misconduct. He was soon back on the field, accompanied by teenage girls three months later.
"Essentially, we were gaslit [making someone doubt their reality] for 10 year when we tried to report on what was happening and nobody was listening."
O'Reilly joined Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, high-profile US players, in calling for change within the NWSL. The matter has been investigated by US Soccer and the board of governors.
After Lisa Baird, the commissioner of the NWSL, resigned last Wednesday, the NWSL created a new executive committee. All NWSL games were postponed last weekend due to these allegations.
Fifa, the world's governing body, has opened an investigation into the "severe and seriousness" of players' allegations.
Fifa and UNODC launched a joint operation last year to combat crime and abuse externally-link. Joyce Cook, Fifa’s chief social responsibility officer, said that while Fifa began to take it seriously in 2018, there is still a lot to be done.
She added that "more recently, we've provided training for all of our 1,000 employees and 10 regional offices in how to recognize, record, and report any abuse or harassment they see."
