CNN
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United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) star Megan Rapinoe reiterated that women soccer players are angry and exhausted after an independent investigative report found systematic abuse and misconduct in women’s professional soccer.
The report released on Monday – led by former acting attorney general Sally Yates – is based on more than 200 interviews and reveals that the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) under the US Soccer Federation (USSF) has failed to provide a safe environment for players to offer.
“As sick as that sounds, I feel like we’re used to having to do so much more than just game planning and tactics. I feel like we have an incredible ability to shoulder so much,” Rapinoe told reporters in London on Thursday.
Rapinoe, who plays professionally for the NWSL’s OL Reign, was asked for her opinion on the impact of accountability following the release of the report.
“These people are in positions of responsibility and they have not fulfilled that responsibility. They didn’t protect the players at all, year after year after year. I think it’s impossible to overstate that every year someone said something about multiple coaches in the league and across multiple different environments,” she said.
“None of these people have shown that they deserve to be part of this beautiful game.”
Rapinoe said she draws from years of experience dealing with uncomfortable issues like unequal pay, inequality and systemic abuse.
When asked about a global response to abuse allegations, Rapinoe replied: “To have any kind of policy – there is absolutely nothing that could hold anybody accountable for that. It’s difficult to hold people accountable even when something is in place.
“Whether it’s at the FIFA level or at the confederation level, at the very least, those guidelines need to be in place or have hotlines that people can go to or report systems that have some teeth in them and are actually real and not just being thrown at the Wayside is really important.
“From FIFA’s perspective as sport administrators, I think they have a responsibility to do everything in their power to ensure that every player is in a safe environment when they want to play.”
The report comes about a year after the league was thrown into chaos after a report by The Athletic detailing allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against Paul Riley, who coached three NWSL franchises over eight seasons.
He was fired from North Carolina Courage after The Athletic cited players in the filing alleging that Riley had used his influence and power to sexually harass players for years and, in one incident, coerced a player into having sex with him to have.
Riley denied the allegations in the Athletic report. CNN could not reach Riley for comment.
Following the Athletic report, then-NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird resigned and the league canceled all games scheduled for this weekend.
By the end of the year, half of the league’s teams had parted ways with their coaches following player complaints, the Yates report notes.