In the wake of a scathing report documenting years of player mistreatment inside the NWSL, Becky Sauerbrunn let the soccer world know she expected seismic changes within the professional women’s soccer league.
Speaking ahead of the United States Women’s National Team’s friendly against England on Friday at Wembley Stadium, Sauerbrunn said Tuesday that team executives, owners and anyone who played a role in letting the abuse continue “should be gone” from the sport.
“We are horrified, and heartbroken and frustrated and exhausted and really, really angry,” the 37-year-old Portland Thorns star and USWNT captain said.
The independent investigation led by former United States Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates was released Monday, and detailed emotional abuse, sexual misconduct and a systematic failure to protect women’s soccer players. The findings have had far-reaching ramifications across the American sports landscape — including in Denver.
Former Colorado Rapids managing director Jeff Plush, who held the position from 2006-11, was frequently mentioned in the report. It indicated that Plush, the NWSL commissioner from 2014-17, was made aware of complaints of sexual harassment and coercion made against then-Portland Thorns head coach Paul Riley in 2015. The report stated that though Plush emailed U.S. Soccer officials about the allegations, he did not step in to intervene or prevent Riley from continuing to coach, and jeopardized players’ safety as a result. Plush is now the CEO of USA Curling.
USA Curling released a statement earlier this week and said in part that Plush “acted in accordance with prioritizing the safety of athletes.” The Rapids and KSE did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
In London, Sauerbrunn said players “are not doing well,” and the hype around Friday’s game has cooled following the report’s release.
When the matchup was announced in August, it was billed as a heavyweight fight and tickets sold out in 24 hours. A rematch of the 2019 World Cup semifinals, the U.S. faces an England team that lifted the Women’s European Championship trophy in July.
“I think we’re all reckoning with the things that were said in the report and are working through that in all the ways we do,” Seattle Reign player Alana Cook said. “We have such a momentous occasion playing at a sold-out Wembley Stadium and it’s marred by this report, and it’s marred by the atrocities that have been condoned and tolerated by the NWSL in the last 10 years.”
Sauerbrunn made her stance abundantly clear: Change has to come from every level of U.S. soccer.
“For so long this has always fallen on the players to demand change,” Sauerbrunn said. “And that is because the people in authority and decision-making positions have repeatedly failed to protect us, and they have failed to hold themselves and each other accountable. What, and who, are you actually protecting? And what values are you upholding?
“You have failed in your stewardship. And it’s my opinion that every owner and executive and U.S. Soccer official who has repeatedly failed the players and failed to protect the players, who have hidden behind legalities and have not participated fully in these investigations, should be gone.”
Thorns owner Merritt Paulson and Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler both stepped away from day-to-day commitments in the wake of the report. On Wednesday, Portland also fired president of business Mike Goulb and president of soccer Gavin Wilkinson.
USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski said the coaching staff is giving time and space for players to process the report and resources had been made available to players at the club, league and national team level.
Four Coloradans were called into the camp, including Lindsey Horan, Mallory Pugh, Sophia Smith and Jaelin Howell. U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday that Pugh was ruled out of the rest of camp due to a family commitment. The USWNT kicks off against England at 1 p.m. Friday on FOX.get over this difficult time.”
