U.S. women’s national team and Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith said she hopes that her club’s fans continue to support the team despite the continued fallout from last Monday’s Yates report into abuse in the NWSL.
The Thorns are scheduled to host a home playoff game on Oct. 23 against the winner of the first-round game between the San Diego Wave and the Chicago Red Stars. That has led to questions about what actions fans might take in reaction to details that came to light in the Yates report about the Portland organization’s handling of abuse allegations against former manager Paul Riley.
Speaking to reporters on a Zoom call ahead of Tuesday’s USWNT match against Spain, Smith said: “I think what everyone is trying to do is support the players. I think that’s the most important thing that anyone can do right now. I think in terms of our home game coming up, obviously it would be really disappointing to play in front of an empty, silent stadium. I think ultimately fans not showing up affects the players more than it affects anyone.
“So I think talking to some of my teammates, we would still really like people to show up and support us. Because at the end of the day, even through all of this, we still have to step on the field and perform and play soccer. So I think our biggest thing would be is we want to do that in front of our fans because that’s one of the positive things that we have left in Portland and something that we always look forward to.”
The Yates report, which was commissioned by U.S. Soccer, detailed how after Riley was fired for cause due to allegations of sexual harassment and coercion against then-Thorns players Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly, he received a glowing job recommendation from Gavin Wilkinson, then the club’s president of soccer. Owner Merritt Paulson added at the time that he “had a lot of affection for Riley,” who was ultimately hired by the Western New York Flash and the became the North Carolina Courage after relocating.
Smith added that there have been “lots of conversations” between the Thorns contingent and their club teammates back in Portland, and she feels that there have been some positive developments within the club. Wilkinson and the organization’s president of business, Mike Golub, were fired last week. It remains to be seen if Paulson, who stepped aside from any active duties with the NWSL side, will continue to own both the Thorns and Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers.
