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US Soccer superstar Alex Morgan said the NWSL likely failed 'many other women' following bombshell sexual abuse accusations against a former coach

Oct 9, 2021, 22:33 IST
Insider
Alex Morgan. Lewis Gettier/ISI Photos/Getty Images
  • Allegations of sexual abuse against a coach have rocked the National Women's Soccer League.
  • In a bombshell report from The Athletic, two former players came forward with accusations.
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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.

Two former players - Sinead Farrelly and Meleana "Mana" Shim - went on the record with The Athletic's Meg Linehan to detail inappropriate conduct they faced from Paul Riley while they played for his Portland Thorns. With the help of then-teammate Alex Morgan, both women reported Riley to the club and the league for 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.

Former NWSL head coach Paul Riley. AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker

Little came of an investigation that followed. Riley was fired from the team at the end of the season, but found another head coaching job in the league mere months later. He twice went on to win NWSL Coach of Year honors in his time with the North Carolina Courage.

Morgan described the situation as a "systemic failure from the league" during a TV interview alongside Farrelly and Shim.

"First and foremost, I'm here today to support Mana and Sinead and continue to amplify their voices," Morgan said to TODAY's Savannah Guthrie. "And just show the systemic failure from the league and how wrong they did in handling Mana's case and complaint and the investigation."

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She added that the NWSL "failed Mana and Sinead - and probably many other women."

Sinead Farrelly dribbles upfield for the Portland Thorns. Rich Barnes/Getty Images

At Morgan's urging, the league instituted a new anti-harassment policy early in 2021. Even despite the new criteria, NWSL leadership declined Farrelly and Shim's request for the league to reopen an investigation into Riley's conduct.

Linehan's report about Riley came amidst an avalanche of controversy across the NWSL. At least five club owners, coaches, and general managers from various teams have left the league or been fired for inappropriate conduct in the past year. For the majority, the NWSL's newly-instuted anti-harassment policy was pivotal to their ouster.

"At the time [of Riley's purported malfeasance], there was no anti-harassment policy in place," Morgan said. "There was no league HR. There was no anonymous hotline. There was no way to report."

Morgan plays for the NWSL's Orlando Pride. Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

"We have now started to put these things in place by demand of players - not by the league being proactive," she added. "Something we ask is for the league to start being proactive, not reactive."

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"We ask for transparency."

Check out Guthrie's full TODAY interview with Morgan, Farrelly, and Shim below:

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