NWSL to Pay $5 Million in Restitution to Players in Abuse Settlement: 'Misconduct Will Not Be Tolerated'

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Howard Smith/ISI Photos/Getty

The National Women’s Soccer League will pay players $5 million in restitution in a settlement stemming from years of alleged abuse, the league announced on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

In the agreement, the NWSL will create the settlement fund for players who endured the abuse to seek compensation,USA Todayreported.

Allegations of widespread misconduct reached a crescendo in 2021, when players claimed of sexual abuse throughout the league.

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North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley was ousted from his position after players Sinead Farrelly and Meleana “Mana” Shimcame forward in an article in The Athletic, accusing Riley of sexual coercion.

The coach previously worked with the Philadelphia Independence of the Women’s Professional Soccer and the NWSL’s Portland Thorns. He was named the NWSL’s coach of the year in both 2017 and 2018.

In 2022, anindependent investigation into allegations of abusive behavior and sexual misconduct across professional women’s soccerwas launched.

The U.S. Soccer Federation released a 319-page report, just over one year after it retained former U.S. acting attorney general Sally Q. Yates to conduct a probe into the National Women’s Soccer League.

The report included apreviously undisclosed allegation against former Racing Louisville FC head coach Christy Holly.

source: people.com