The NWSL announced yesterday Paul Riley and three other former coaches were permanently banned from the league after a report detailing their and others' abuse was released a month ago. After the league's ruling was made public, Riley decried the result of him being barred from any NWSL activities as an extension of liberal politics.
“We have a lot of plans ahead to fight a lot of things,” Riley said in a text message Tuesday to WRAL News. “Absolutely never had any intention of coaching in NWSL again. The political, woke, cancel culture of the league says it all.”
While Riley said he is going to fight “a lot of thing,” he did not detail what they actually are.
Riley came under fire when The Athletic reported the accusations made against him, which include sexual and emotional abuse, extending back to 2015 when he was the head coach of the Portland Thorns. When complaints were brought to Portland's attention, they fired Riley but kept the reason out of the public eye. He went on to coach the North Carolina Courage, where he allegedly repeated similar predatory acts.
“We stand firmly with the league, the NWSL Players Association and fellow clubs in holding player safety and well-being as our top priority,” the Courage said in a statement two days ago.
The NWSL Player's Association released a statement after the league had announced its sanctions against the four coaches.
“Today, the NWSL announced disciplinary sanctions for Clubs and individuals who committed or enabled misconduct since the league began in 2013. This marks a critical step toward holding clubs and team leaders accountable for their actions, or inactions, that compromised and betrayed player safety. People in positions of power who have perpetrated harm on Players have been relieved of their duties, banned from the League, suspended or fined,” the NWSL Players Association said in a statement.”
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