Becky Sauerbrunn calls for removal of NWSL owners mentioned in Yates report

The acts of abuse described in the recent Sally Yates report were horrific enough in themselves, but add to that the fact that several owners and executives knew about the abuse and covered it up, and you have a sickening, yet unfortunately typical story.

US Women’s National Team star and human rights activist Megan Rapinoe has expressed her lack of surprise about the accusations against former Red Stars coach Rory Dames and former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley.

“Rory has been an a**hole the entire time I’ve known him,” said Rapinoe. “From the first second I heard him on the sideline the first season I ever played. Paul is the same.”

The Yates report exposed years of abuse that is being called “systemic” within the NWSL. That is how integrated this problem has been within the league. In the report, it states that over the years, the abuse had been reported and repeatedly ignored and dismissed by the league as well as Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler, dating as far back as 2014.

The Red Stars board of directors voted to remove Whisler as chairman of the board, effective immediately. They have said they will facilitate a sale of his shares, but have not said when.

US captain Becky Sauerbrunn has expressed her exhaustion and anger at the situation and called for the removal of all those in authority who failed to do anything about the problem.

“For so long, this has fallen on the player to demand change,” Sauerbrunn said. “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? And what values are you upholding? 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.”