“The lack of clearly established responsibilities allowed individuals within these institutions to disclaim personal responsibility for player protection and to turn a blind eye or shift blame to other individuals and entities, while players were left exposed to further misconduct and unsafe environments. Players from marginalized backgrounds, or with the least job security, were often targets of misconduct.”
The joint investigation also confirms that the misconduct from Riley, Burke and Holly, which made headlines, was part of a wider culture of power imbalances between players and staff members that was pervasive in the league. Eight different ownership groups and 15 individuals — including some from the NWSL and U.S. Soccer — come under detailed scrutiny in the latest report.
