The American Football Association has asked a former federal prosecutor to investigate allegations of sexual assault and bullying in women’s professional football, which led to the sacking of two coaches recently.
“US Soccer has asked Sally Q. Yates of King & Spalding LLP to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior and sexual assault in professional women’s football,” the US federation said in a statement Sunday. . According to US Soccer, Yates, who has held senior positions in federal justice, has “extensive experience in conducting complex and highly sensitive investigations.”
The announcement comes just two days after the resignation of Lisa Baird, commissioner of the North American Women’s Football League (NWSL), widely criticized for her handling of the case since the first accusations made by players. US Soccer said Sally Yates’ investigation would begin immediately and that she would have “full autonomy, all the access and resources necessary to verify facts and find evidence, wherever they are.”
“Protect your players”, pleads Alex Morgan
By decision of Baird, all games scheduled for this weekend in the United States have also been suspended, this case having plunged the NWSL into turmoil. For its part, FIFA announced on Friday that it was also opening an investigation into these allegations.
At the heart of the turmoil, the coach of North Carolina Courage, Paul Riley, a 58-year-old Englishman, dismissed Thursday by the club after being accused of sexual assault by two players. Charges that he formally contests. Last week, another NWSL coach Richie Burke, who heads the Washington Spirit, was also sacked after an investigation into charges of verbal and moral harassment.
These cases in particular aroused strong reactions from two American internationals, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, who knew Riley’s profile from having played under his orders in the past. “Protect your players. Do the right thing, at the NWSL, ”Morgan tweeted. “Men protect other men who assault women. We must burn everything. Their heads have to fall, ”added Rapinoe in her own style.
–
