An independent investigation into the scandals that erupted in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players, according to a report released on Monday.
“Abuse in the NWSL is rooted in a deeper culture in women’s soccer, beginning in youth leagues, that normalizes verbally abusive coaching and blurs boundaries between coaches and players,” former acting US Attorney General Sally Yates wrote in her report on the investigation.
