The details are absorbing and revealing at times, but the ultimate findings of the independent investigation into the allegations of domestic abuse against former U.S. men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter and the behavior of those who accused him, Claudio and Danielle Reyna, aren’t that surprising: Berhalter behaved badly three decades ago but has atoned. The Reynas behaved badly during the Qatar World Cup but aren’t subject to U.S. Soccer discipline. And a clear policy covering communication between parents and federation employees is definitely required.
The report produced by Atlanta law firm Alston & Bird and released Monday by U.S. Soccer concludes that Berhalter was wrong to strike his girlfriend (now wife) Rosalind back when they were college freshmen in January 1992. He’s been honest and forthcoming about the incident since then, however, and his subsequent conduct has been good, investigators concluded.
Investigators found that neither Berhalter nor his brother, Jay, the former U.S. Soccer executive, misled the federation during the 2018 USMNT hiring process. No background check would’ve covered it, and “none of the questions posed to Mr. Berhalter during the … hiring process would have required him to disclose information regarding the 1992 incident.” And they determined that Berhalter poses no threat to anyone inside or outside U.S. Soccer and that “there is no basis to conclude that the hiring or employment of Mr. Berhalter would subject U.S. Soccer or any other employer to potential liability … tied to the fact of the 1992 incident.”
