An investigative report commissioned by the US Soccer Federation (USSF) and released on Monday found players experienced sexual harassment from their trainers.
The more than 150-page report detailed numerous examples of inappropriate advances and emotional and physical abuse by coaches.
The independent commission that carried out the probe described the abuse and misconduct in the league as “systemic” and deeply rooted in US women’s football, including its youth leagues.
“Teams, the League, and the Federation not only repeatedly failed to respond appropriately when confronted with player reports and evidence of abuse, they also failed to institute basic measures to prevent and address it, even as some leaders privately acknowledged the need for workplace protections,” the report states.
The report also found perpetrators often went unpunished and were able to move to new teams after the abuse, sometimes being whitewashed with sympathetic press releases.
“And no one at the teams, the League, or the Federation demanded better coaches,” the report concluded.
The investigation was commissioned after a wave of allegations last year.
