The U.S. women’s national soccer team is in London for a sold-out match Friday against England at Wembley Stadium.
While the showdown between the recently crowned European champions and the reigning World Cup champs is a sporting event deserving of the world’s attention, the USWNT once again is using its platform to address systemic issues off the field. All week, the team has fielded questions about the findings of former U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates’ investigation into systemic abuse in the National Women’s Soccer League.
USWNT star and activist Megan Rapinoe did not mince words when expressing her lack of surprise at some of the details in Yates’ report.
‘‘[Former Red Stars coach] Rory [Dames ] has been an a—hole the entire time I’ve known him,’’ Rapinoe said. ‘‘From the first second I heard him on the sideline the first season I ever played. [Ex-North Carolina Courage coach] Paul [Riley] is the same.’’
Rapinoe was selected by the Red Stars second overall in the 2009 Women’s Professional Soccer draft and played for them for two seasons before Dames was hired in 2011. The league preceded the NWSL, which was founded in 2012.
Yates’ report exposed years of abuse that went unchecked in the league, including in the Red Stars’ organization. The report says Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler repeatedly dismissed allegations of emotional and verbal abuse against Dames dating to 2014.
Rapinoe’s response and lack of surprise is a reflection of the abusive culture players were expected to endure in the NWSL to fulfill their dreams.
Rapinoe, who now plays for OL Reign, didn’t stop there. She called for the removal of Whisler and Portland Thorns owner Merrit Paulson from the NWSL.
‘‘I don’t think Merritt Paulson is fit to be an owner of that team; I don’t think [Whisler] is fit to be the owner of Chicago,’’ Rapinoe said. ‘‘We need to see those people be gone, so people who are fit and who will take care of the game and respect the game and help the game grow in the best way possible will replace them. [That way], we can continue to not only have accountability and continue to bolster the policies and everything around the league but help the league grow.’’
The Red Stars’ board of directors voted Wednesday to remove Whisler as chairman of the board and transition him out of his board seat immediately. The team told the Sun-Times the board wants to facilitate a sale of Whisler’s shares as soon as possible.
Follow-up questions to the team about whether the board is demanding that Whisler sell his shares and how quickly it expects to facilitate a sale have gone unanswered.
Earlier in the year, the USWNT settled its equal-pay lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. The settlement came with a $24 million payment and a commitment by USSF to provide an equal rate of pay for both national teams.
Fighting battles off the field has become synonymous with the USWNT. This week, players simultaneously have expressed exhaustion and shown the ability to shoulder the weight of their dual roles as athletes and activists.
‘‘For so long, this has fallen on the player to demand change,’’ USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn said a day after Yates’ report was released. ‘‘The people in authority and decision-making positions have repeatedly failed to protect us and failed to hold themselves and each other accountable.
‘‘What and who are you protecting? It’s my opinion that every owner and executive and U.S. Soccer official who has repeatedly failed to protect the players, hidden behind legalities and not participated fully in these investigations should be gone.’’
