Abuse in professional women’s soccer in the United States has been exposed as a systemic problem, affecting players across multiple teams and coaching staffs. The most recent independent investigation, led by Sally Yates, presents a stark portrait of a league at a crossroads. The report arrives a year after initial inquiries and questions about governance at the league level and the sport’s national federation. It describes a culture where demeaning language, verbal assaults, and pressure tactics grew unchecked, often tolerated by those in positions of authority who could have intervened sooner.
The document highlights persistent complaints about mistreatment that players began voicing publicly in recent press inquiries and organized protests. These actions contributed to match cancellations and eventually led to the dismissal or resignation of several coaches, including the league’s former commissioner. The investigation traces a pattern of entrenched norms that normalized abuse from youth ranks through the professional tier, and it argues that many players learn to accept abusive behavior as part of the sport’s culture before they reach the professional level.
Abuses, silence and concealment
The report details assaults on boundaries and power dynamics, including coercive sexual behavior, unwanted advances, and explicit comments. It also documents training tactics described as brutal and demeaning, shifting focus from performance to control. The study is built on more than 200 interviews with players, coaches, owners, and staff, complemented by records and communications that reveal missed opportunities to address harm. The analysis portrays a league and federation where complaints were met with reluctance, and where even strong signals to intervene were not followed by effective action.
Examples cited show abusive coaches moving from one team to another, often thanked publicly for their service while past misconduct was downplayed or ignored. Those with the power to enact change largely stayed silent, sometimes prioritizing reputational concerns over players’ safety and wellbeing. The report recalls that until recently there were no formal harassment policies, most teams lacked human resources infrastructure, and anonymous reporting channels were unavailable until late in the year. In short, no one in leadership owned the responsibility to protect players.
Sexual abuse
Yates’ document identifies cases of sexual misconduct that had not been publicly condemned before. It discusses an instance in which a coach at Racing Louisville FC engaged in sexual misconduct with a player, including improper conduct during training communications and the distribution of inappropriate materials. It also highlights allegations against a Portland Thorns coach with a long history of verbally abusive and coercive behavior that had circulated through anonymous player surveys for years but did not result in prompt action by the federation or the league. Other cases describe how individuals misused their positions to pressure players into relationships while moving between leagues.
New information points to a coach from Chicago who led a team while involved in a sexually charged environment, including discussions about players’ private lives. The report emphasizes the harm caused by these dynamics and the need for clear boundaries, stronger oversight, and transparent reporting mechanisms to prevent abuse and protect athletes at all levels.
Suggestions
The findings are described as heartbreaking and deeply disturbing. Federation leadership responded with statements of commitment to immediate action and a plan to coordinate across leagues and levels of the sport to address the issues. An ongoing investigation, supplemented by a separate law-firm inquiry commissioned by the league and players association, has already resulted in suspensions and changes within coaching ranks. The recommendations emphasize accountability and prevention across the sport’s ecosystem.
Among the suggestions are measures to publish clear behavioral standards for all trainers and officials, to prevent problematic hires, and to require timely investigations into complaints. The recommendations also call for training programs for players and coaches and the creation of roles dedicated to safeguarding players at the team, league, and federation levels. The report calls on the league to determine whether disciplinary actions should extend to team owners or managers who were linked to misconduct or who failed to act on substantiated findings. The leadership under review is urged to implement reforms that prioritize player safety and ethical conduct across the sport.