Settlement Requires NWSL to Create $5 Million Fund for Players who Experienced Abuse; Mandates New Safety Protocols
Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, with District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb and New York Attorney General Letitia James, today announced a landmark settlement with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) after numerous players came forward with allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct. A subsequent independent investigation found that emotional abuse and sexual coercion were systemic across the league.
Under the settlement, the NWSL will continue to implement comprehensive reforms to improve player safety and well-being, and Raoul and the attorneys general will have the ability to oversee and enforce new league protocols and protections for players. As a result of the investigation, the NWSL will also create a $5 million fund to compensate players who were abused.
“I commend the current and former players whose courage and leadership off the field was critical to reaching today’s settlement. Despite having the most to lose, these players came forward to expose abuse and a lack of accountability by those at the top of the league. Because they spoke up for themselves and their teammates, they have brought about reform that will protect future players,” Raoul said. “I am proud to collaborate with Attorney General Schwalb and Attorney General James to hold the league accountable and put an overdue end to the unprofessional and toxic practices that have plagued the league.”
Raoul and the attorneys general launched a joint investigation in 2022 following reports of abuse and harassment toward players. The investigation revealed a pervasive culture of abuse and neglect in the NWSL in which coaches verbally abused and sexually assaulted players, coerced them into inappropriate relationships and retaliated against those who resisted or spoke out. The investigation further showed a number of teams failed to conduct background checks and failed to inform other teams when a coach was terminated for misconduct. As a result of these systemic failures, abusive coaches could bounce from one NWSL team to the next.
In 2021, players from across the NWSL, including those with the Chicago Red Stars, went public with allegations of misconduct and abuse at the hands of coaches and officials dating back over 10 years. Many of those complaints had been reported to the league but were largely ignored.
Two separate investigations, one commissioned jointly by the NWSL and NWSL Players’ Association (NWSLPA) and one by the U.S. Soccer Federation, found systemic and league-wide failures that contributed to a culture where verbal abuse, sexual assault, harassment, coercion, and discrimination by coaches thrived, with no clear mechanisms in place for player safety. By the end of the 2021 season, in the wake of player complaints and media reports, five of the NWSL’s 10 existing teams fired their coaches, including the NWSL’s longest-tenured coach, Chicago Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames.
“This investigation was initiated by the NWSLPA because players refused to stay silent in the face of systemic abuse. The human rights and civil rights violations they endured were enabled by a system that failed in its most basic duty: to protect its players,” said Meghann Burke, executive director for the NWSLPA . “This settlement not only acknowledges those failures but, for the first time, establishes enforcement mechanisms under the law to hold the NWSL accountable and to prevent future harm. We appreciate Attorneys General Brian L. Schwalb, Letitia James and Kwame Raoul for their commitment to standing with players and to bringing the power of their offices to bear on enforcing the recommendations of our Joint Investigation. Accountability is not a one-time event – it is an ongoing commitment that never ends. The NWSLPA will continue to ensure that this league never again prioritizes silence over safety.”
“This investigation was player-led because, for too long, people in power refused to listen. Players suffered in silence – ignored by those in a position to prevent this harm. Only through their bravery – speaking out, demanding change and refusing to back down –did the full scale of the league’s failures come to light,” said Tori Huster, deputy executive director for the NWSL. “This settlement is a testament to their courage and a step toward the accountability they have always deserved. We appreciate Attorneys General Brian L. Schwalb, Letitia James and Kwame Raoul for recognizing the gravity of these injustices and ensuring that legal protections are now in place. I want to be clear: This was possible because players demanded it. Their strength continues to drive this league forward, and the NWSLPA will always stand beside them in that fight.”
Rory Dames resigned in 2021 after a Chicago Red Stars sports psychologist found he created a culture of fear and engaged in emotional and verbal abuse. According to Raoul, the NWSL was aware of Dames’ conduct since at least 2014, when players reported Dames repeatedly made sexualized remarks about their appearances, texted them after hours and pressured them to attend inappropriate one-on-one meals with him. Players also reported Dames would refer to Black players as “thugs,” and told a Black player that she was “acting like a gang member.” At least two players who complained were swiftly traded to another team. Despite knowledge of these issues, the NWSL failed to take reasonable measures to protect its players.
Along with the $5 million restitution fund for impacted players, the NWSL could face $2 million in penalties if it does not comply with any material terms of the agreement.
With oversight from Raoul and the attorneys general, the NWSL must continue to comply with extensive changes to its protocols and implement league-wide policy changes to protect players, including:
Bureau Chief Amy Meek and Assistant Attorney General Alexandra Reed handled this case for Attorney General Raoul’s Civil Rights Bureau.
