By Frank Pingue
(Reuters) – The NWSL has agreed to create a $5 million fund to compensate players who experienced abuse and implement reforms to resolve investigations launched by attorneys general for New York, Illinois and Washington D.C. after players came forward with allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct.
Players from across the U.S. top-flight National Women’s Soccer League went public in 2021 with allegations of misconduct by coaches and officials dating back over 10 years.
The attorneys general launched a joint investigation into the allegations in 2022, which they said revealed the NWSL was “permeated by a culture of abuse.” It also showed some teams did not conduct background checks, which allowed coaches previously terminated for misconduct to be rehired by other teams.
The settlement, which was announced on Wednesday by the attorneys general, requires the NWSL to create a $5 million fund to compensate players and implement league-wide policy changes to improve player safety.
“For too long, the hardworking and talented women of the National Women’s Soccer League were forced to endure an unacceptable culture of abuse, harassment, and retaliation,” New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said in a statement.
She said the settlement “sends a clear message that such misconduct will not be tolerated and ensures players receive the compensation and protections they deserve.”
With oversight from the attorneys general, the NWSL must also continue to comply with extensive changes to its protocols, including rigorous vetting of prospective coaches and training for players and staff on how to prevent sexual misconduct.
NWSL also faces $2 million in penalties if it fails to comply with any terms of the agreement, the attorneys general said.
The fallout from the allegations engulfed the NWSL and prompted the departure of former Commissioner Lisa Baird and demands for reform, while five of the league’s 10 teams parted ways with their head coaches over player complaints before the end of the 2021 season.
U.S. Soccer founded the NWSL in 2012 and operated as manager, providing logistical and financial support, through 2020. It continues to provide oversight over the league.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Additional reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, editing by Ed Osmond)
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