CHICAGO — Rory Dames was allowed to resign as the Chicago Red Stars coach in part because the National Women’s Soccer League club thought it “didn’t have any reason to believe that there was a safety issue in our environment.”
That’s what majority owner Arnim Whisler told the Chicago Tribune in a brief, 15-minute interview Friday, part of a series of one-on-ones Whisler was doing with some media members.
But Whisler also said that had Dames not resigned by the end of the day on Nov. 21, the longtime coach “would have been terminated.”
The news comes 81 days after the Washington Post published a story detailing years of abuse allegations against Dames that triggered a 2018 U.S. Soccer Federation investigation into the coach.
The Post report indicated Whisler knew of the investigation. Whisler told the Tribune on Friday that he was not aware of the details of the investigation or what U.S. Soccer’s findings were.
“We were notified that it was underway. We hadn’t heard about the allegations before that,” Whisler said. “We were asked not to in any way tamper, so we didn’t talk to players, etc. That investigation ran for as long as they wanted, we participated fully and never received (results). I still don’t know the full background of what was in those allegations and we didn’t receive recommendations from that.”
The Red Stars did not, however, conduct their own third-party inquiry into Dames despite the fact they “weren’t comfortable with the fact that we even had an investigation.”
Instead, the team opted to put in what Whisler called “more checks and balances,” such as increased staffing.
“The bottom line for us and for me as we’ve gone through this process is even if you think you have an open door, you can’t understand the power dynamics,” he said. “We must do this with independence and anonymous resources so that folks can feel comfortable fully coming forward on whatever topic.”
Dames’ seemingly sudden resignation came one day after the Red Stars lost the NWSL final to the Washington Spirit and was announced at 11:54 p.m. on Nov. 21. Hours later on Nov. 22, the Post’s story was published.
Here is the interaction between the Tribune and Whisler when he was asked about Dames’ resignation:
— Why was Dames allowed to resign? And why was it so late at night hours before the Washington Post published its first story?
“It’s not linked to the Washington Post per se. We had wanted to finish the season. We owed the players (who) had worked incredibly hard a chance to finish their season. We didn’t have any reason to believe that there was a safety issue in our environment.
“But that said, when we finished the season and we had finished our workplace assessment, it was clear we needed to change. We told them that (Sunday) morning after the championship we were doing that and worked through a separation agreement during the day that had to be finished by midnight. And it was.”
— But why let the players finish out the season if the findings of the workplace were not considered safe or were hostile or abusive or anything like that?
“Because it was not that there was an urgent or dangerous (situation) or implication of an incident. It was that it was a workplace that needed improvements, and the players wanted to finish the season.”
— And in terms of the “separation agreement” with Dames, the understanding is that he resigned or was allowed to resign. Did he resign or was he fired?
“He was allowed to resign.”
— And why was he allowed to resign instead of let go?
“Because if he wasn’t resigned by that day he would have been terminated.”
— And why do that instead of an outright firing?
“Because there wasn’t a cause for firing. There weren’t specific incidents that brought that about, and any legal counsel would tell you that it’s always better to have appropriate protections when you separate even junior employees. And so separation agreements are common. We worked through and did that during the course of that day.”
The 2021 NWSL season was one defined by controversy with several other figures — including Paul Riley, one of the league’s most successful coaches — resigning or being fired as numerous abuse allegations surfaced.
But the Red Stars felt that day of reckoning was not coming for their coach.
“We didn’t think that there was anything to hide,” Whisler said. “We didn’t have knowledge of incidents or complaints. We weren’t hiding. We actually were believing that we were some of the good people.
“And so, again, I think the reflection, the humility, the need for us to really sit back — and I mean me, but also anyone else that had been in a leadership position — to really sit back and try to fully understand how we could miss things was the most important priority.”
Allegations against Dames didn’t end in November, however. Earlier this week, the Washington Post reported more allegations of abuse against Dames dating to 1998 at Eclipse Select, the suburban youth soccer club he founded.
The Red Stars brought Dames on board in 2011 during the club’s nomadic times after leaving the soon-to-be-defunct Women’s Professional Soccer league.
Whisler said the team did not run a background check on Dames.
“Rory approached me — it was the first time I met him — with a number of players from the league that had folded and collegiate athletes that wanted to play at a high level,” Whisler said, “and asked if he assembled a team, if we would let them play under the Red Stars.
“He volunteered, we didn’t pay him, he wasn’t an employee. We did not do a background check that year. We (played) again the next year in (Women’s Premier Soccer League), these were summer teams that we put together. No full-time employment, no employment at all. Just a volunteer.
“So at that point, no, we did not do a background check. As we rolled forward and formed NWSL after essentially two years of auditioning and players who wanted him back, we hired him.”
When asked if other members of the Red Stars — players, coaches, staff members, game-day volunteers — have ever been accused of abuse while working for the club, Whisler said the club has only had “less than a handful” of HR issues.
“Those have been followed through and investigated and dealt with as you would normal HR matters,” he said.
Several members of the Red Stars’ vocal fanbase, including supporters group Chicago Local 134, have called for Whisler to sell his majority stake in the club. Meanwhile, some members of the team’s investors have voiced their displeasure on social media.
Still, Whisler said he has no intention to sell at the moment.
“I’ll be here as long as I am needed,” he said. “I think I’m still needed a bit. Certainly not being asked to leave, but if and when that’s the right thing to do, I will always do right by the club.”
