ROME. New protest in US professional women’s football against alleged sexual violence suffered by former top division players. Yesterday’s match between Washington Spirit and Gotham Fc was in fact suspended for a minute: the protagonists of the match stopped the game, holding arm in arm in the center of the field. They did so in the sixth minute, symbolizing the number of years it took to raise awareness of the alleged abuses of former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley. The 58-year-old English coach was sacked last week after two former players accused him through an article in the newspaper. The Athletic.
Sinead Farrelly said she was forced to have sex when playing for him in Philadelphia Independence. Farrelly and Mana Shim also revealed that they were forced to kiss in the manager’s apartment in 2015 during the Portland Thorns. Accusations that prompted Fifa to open an investigation and the commissioner of the women’s soccer league (National women’s soccer league), Lisa Baird, to resign. The scandal also affected Washington Spirit. Club president Steve Baldwin resigned this week after the exoneration of coach Richie Burke, accused of sexual harassment at the end of an NWSL investigation. The game was stopped as a sign of “solidarity” with the victims of abuse, according to the players’ union (Nwslpa).
“Tonight we’re back on the pitch because we won’t let our joy be taken away from us,” they said, after refusing to play last weekend. In its press release, the union detailed a list of proposals, including an independent investigation into abusive behavior against each coach and general manager. The NWSLPA also called for the reopening of the investigation into Riley and the review of the sexual harassment complaints announced by the league on Sunday to turn into a full-scale investigation into all clubs, as well as staff members.