NWSL controversy explained: Top coach accused of luring players into sex and bribing them to kiss each other for his pleasure

• Paul Riley, the former head coach of the NWSL's North Carolina Courage, has been fired.
• The 57-year-old is facing disturbing allegations of sexual coercion and inappropriate conduct.
• Riley is accused of luring players into his bed and forcing them to kiss each other.

The National Women's Soccer League - where the majority of the US Women's National Team players compete domestically - is in disarray following a bombshell report outlining allegations of sexual abuse levied against a longtime head coach in the league.

Former North Carolina Courage coach and two-time NWSL Coach of the Year Paul Riley was widely regarded as one of the league's foremost coaching minds. But behind the scenes, he was leveraging his position of authority to lure players into his bed, coerce them into sex, and force them to kiss one another for his pleasure, according to the allegations.

Riley has since been fired from his head coaching position, and the US Soccer Federation revoked the 57-year-old's coaching license in response to his "repulsive, unacceptable" behavior.

Reporting from The Athletic's Meg Linehan brought allegations of Riley's abusive tendencies to light. Two of his former players - Sinead Farrelly and Meleana "Mana" Shim - went on the record with the inappropriate conduct they endured while they played on Riley's teams.

Both Farrelly and Shim described grooming behavior from Riley, who capitalized on the players' youth, inexperience, and dependence on him as a coach to push the boundaries of their relationships during his time at the helm of the Portland Thorns. According to the players, Riley wooed them with dinner dates and calls to hotel rooms under the guise of soccer talk, then would push them to drink alcohol and subsequently pressure them into sexual favors.

Farrelly says she and Riley had sex on more than one occasion, and she alleges she once had sex with Riley and another teammate. She maintained that all of the interactions were coercive and that the pattern persisted across multiple franchises for years.

Shim says she never had sex with Riley, but she feared that her coach's behavior towards her was an attempt to seduce her. Like with Farrelly, he is accused of wining-and-dining her. She also accused him of sending explicit photos via text message and inviting her into his hotel room while wearing nothing but underwear.

Riley was also accused of bribing Farrelly and Shim to kiss in front of him in exchange for a lesser conditioning regimen at practice the following day. They say he also disparaged both women, and others, for their sexual orientation.

Riley isn't the only individual facing repercussions in light of the scandal. NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird resigned, and general counsel Lisa Levine was fired just days after Linehan published her article. The report alleged that Baird, Levine, and other league representatives failed to act upon learning of Farrelly's and Shim's accusations against Riley.

NWSL fans and players alike continue to push for accountability beyond the ousting of Baird and Levine. Members of the Thorns' front office who oversaw the investigation into Riley remain in positions of authority within the franchise. Likewise, those at the North Carolina Courage responsible for hiring Riley despite investigations into his conduct have yet to face any consequences for their oversight.

The league took a brief hiatus from play over the weekend "to give everyone some space to reflect" on the revelations surrounding Riley. Play is scheduled to recommence Wednesday, but the fallout of the situation is far from finished.