Shaken by a sex scandal, the American women's league postpones its matches this weekend

The North American Women’s League (NWSL), shaken by allegations of sexual misconduct against a coach, and denounced for its inaction, announced on Friday that its championship matches scheduled for this week -end would not play. “ This week, and much of this season, has been incredibly traumatic for our players and staff, and I take full responsibility for the role I have played. am very sorry for the pain that so many people are feeling, “ NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird said in a statement.

“ Aware of this trauma, we decided not to go to the fields this weekend in order to give everyone the ‘opportunity to reflect. Current affairs are not our concern at the moment. Our league has a lot to fix, and our players deserve so much better “, she said. added. This decision, taken in agreement with the players’ union (NWSLPA), comes the day after the dismissal by North Carolina Courage of coach Paul Riley who faces allegations of sexual misconduct, including forced intercourse.

The Wrath of Megan Rapinoe

Two former players, Sinead Farrelly and Meleana “Mana” Shim, told The Athletic site to have had to deal on several occasions, since 2010, with the alleged inappropriate behavior of this 58-year-old Englishman, whose license as a trainer has moreover was suspended Thursday by the American Football Federation. Farrelly accused him of having forced her to “ forced sex “, when he was the head of Philadelphia Independence , especially one night when she went to her hotel room, following a loss in the final of a competition.

Farrelly and Shim also said that on another occasion, when Riley was training them with the Portland Thorns, he had forced them to kiss in his apartment. The latter disputed these “ completely false ” allegations. “ I never had sexual relations with these players, nor made sexual advances to them “, is- he defended to the media.

In recent hours, reactions of indignation and anger have poured in, some denouncing in particular the passivity of the NSWL. “ The league has been informed on multiple occasions and refused each time to investigate “, said the American international Alex Morgan, who played under Riley around the same time as the two accusers in Portland, backed up his point with screenshots of emails Farrelly sent to the league.

The star, activist, Megan Rapinoe also expressed her anger: “ To all those who are in the exercise of power and who let it happen, who have heard and rejected, who authorized this monster to change teams without any repercussions, go and show yourself, you are all monsters and you can ALL resign immediately “. The players’ union (NWSLPA) for its part denounced “ a systemic abuse, a scourge for the League “.

Amid the turmoil, Lisa Baird vowed to put in place an anonymous reporting process for players and staff. She also undertook to forward the case to the “US Center for SafeSport”, so that this independent organization, mandated to fight against sexual abuse in sport in the United States, can investigate.