National Women’s Soccer League Announces Results of Orlando Pride Investigation
October 10, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) News Release
NEW YORK – The National Women’s Soccer League announced an update regarding the investigation into allegations of misconduct within the Orlando Pride organization.
For background, in October 2021, the NWSL and NWSL Players Association launched an investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct toward NWSL players by individuals in positions of power, as well as systemic issues in the League that impact the prevention, detection, and handling of misconduct.â¯The League and the Players Association are working together, through experienced counsel from Covington & Burling LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, to jointly conduct an objective, fair, and trauma-informed investigation, which is ongoing. The independent investigators are referred to as the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team.
In March 2022, with the consent of the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team, counsel to the Orlando Pride investigated allegations of verbal abuse and improper favoritism towards players by Orlando Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell, and allegations of improper favoritism towards players by First Assistant Coach Sam Greene. Some of the allegations were substantiated. As a result, at the conclusion of the investigation, both Cromwell and Greene received written warnings, and Cromwell was informed that she would be required to participate in leadership training.
In May 2022, the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team received reports that Cromwell and Greene were engaging in retaliatory conduct towards players who they believed had initiated, participated in, and were supportive of the March investigation.
Based on a thorough investigation conducted by the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team, these allegations were substantiated. The NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team found that Cromwell and Greene engaged in retaliation and attempted retaliation against Pride players whom Cromwell and Greene believed had made or supported earlier misconduct allegations against them, in violation of League policy. Specifically, Cromwell and Greene were found to have engaged in conduct that discouraged reporting and fostered a general fear of retaliation, and to have taken negative actions against certain players, including by seeking to waive or trade them.
The NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team further found that Goalkeeper Coach Aline Reis did not fully cooperate with the investigation, in violation of League policy, including by pressuring players to share favorable information with investigators. The NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team’s findings were reported to NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, NWSLPA Executive Director Meghann Burke, and Orlando Pride ownership.
In June 2022, Cromwell, Greene, Reis and Assistant Coach Michelle Akers raised complaints that they were subjected to various forms of misconduct.â¯The League, through a third-party investigator, conducted an investigation independent from the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigation into these claims. After a thorough investigation into the coaches’ complaints, the third-party investigator found that the coaches’ complaints that they were subjected to misconduct in violation of League policy were unsubstantiated.
Based on the findings described above, the League has imposed the following discipline:
Cromwell’s and Greene’s employment contracts are terminated effective immediately. Cromwell and Greene are ineligible to work in the NWSL in any capacity unless or until approved by the Commissioner. In order to be eligible for future employment in the NWSL, Cromwell and Greene must participate in mandatory training regarding retaliation, discrimination, harassment and bullying, and must participate in mandatory executive coaching, as determined by the Commissioner and at the League’s expense. Cromwell and Greene may apply to the Commissioner for consideration only after they have successfully completed the mandatory training and coaching, acknowledged wrongdoing, and demonstrated a sincere commitment to modifying their behavior.
Reis is placed on unpaid administrative leave, effective immediately. Reis is required to participate in mandatory training regarding retaliation, discrimination, harassment and bullying, and must participate in mandatory executive coaching, as determined by the Commissioner and at the League’s expense. Reis may not return to work until she has completed the mandatory training, acknowledged wrongdoing and demonstrated a sincere commitment to modifying her behavior. However, she may return to and continue to work while she is completing the executive coaching requirement.
The League is also mandating additional training regarding retaliation, discrimination, harassment, and bullying for the entire Orlando Pride organization to establish and ensure everyone is on notice of the League’s expectations for appropriate conduct and behavior within the NWSL.
“As we continue to build a league as elite as the players on the pitch, it is critically important that we foster a culture where individuals can safely come forward with concerns without fear of reprisal,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “These retaliation concerns were identified during the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigation and interim measures were put in place due to the ongoing nature of the misconduct.”
The NWSL values the input of everyone who has participated in the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigation, or who might reach out to the investigators now. We continue to encourage all parties to engage with the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team with any information relating to discrimination, harassment, abuse, retaliation or bullying towards players in the League. The NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team may be contacted at [email protected] or you may reach out to the NWSL or NWSLPA directly or through any other club and League reporting channels.
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