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U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone has said she is “heartbroken” over allegations of abusive behaviour and sexual misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League and added that her organisation is committed to investigating the “abhorrent conduct.”
North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley has been fired following allegations of sexual coercion and bullying while Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke was banned from the NWSL after he was found guilty of verbal and emotional abuse towards players.
In an open letter to fans, Parlow Cone said U.S. Attorney and Deputy Attorney General of the United States Sally Yates — who had been appointed by the USSF to lead an independent investigation in light of the allegations revealed by the Athletic — had been given “full autonomy, access and the necessary resources” to conduct a thorough examination of events.
– Murray: NWSL’s Riley scandal points to larger league failures
“Like all of you, I am saddened and angered by these reports. As a former player and a current youth soccer coach, there is no responsibility that I take more seriously than ensuring soccer players in this country are safe and respected both on and off the field. I cannot overstate how heartbroken I am for anyone who has ever been a victim of abusive behavior or sexual misconduct in our sport,” Parlow Cone said.
“When I took on the role of President of U.S. Soccer in 2020, our new leadership team understood that despite the challenges we faced, at its core, our mission is to create a safe space for athletes who love this sport to learn, grow and compete. That’s why U.S. Soccer is committed to stepping up to lead the change on this issue.
“That means doing everything we can to fully investigate the abhorrent conduct reported and taking a hard look at the entire soccer ecosystem in this country — including ourselves — to gain a full understanding of the systemic changes that should be made to prevent anything like this from happening again.”
The…
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Source : espn
