Former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley, who was banned from the National Women’s Soccer League on Monday after multiple investigations into alleged harassment and sexual misconduct, called the league “political” and “waking up.”
Riley was among four coaches who received a permanent suspension from the league in a statement issued Monday.
Riley says he plans to fight “a lot of things” and despite his permanent suspension from the league, he never wants to return.
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North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley talks to the team after being defeated by the Portland Thorns FC in the NWSL Challenge Cup quarterfinal match against the Portland Thorns FC at Zions Bank Stadium on July 17, 2020 in Herriman, Utah.
(Madie Meyer/Getty Images)
“We have a lot of plans coming up to fight a lot of things,” Riley told WRAL News on Tuesday. “Absolutely never had any intention of coaching in NWSL again. The political, vigilante, cancellation culture of the league says it all.”
What exactly Riley is fighting has yet to be determined.
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The Joint Investigation Team for the NWSL found that misconduct was “largely systemic in nature” and they “made recommendations regarding several forward-looking and structural reforms to improve the league’s policies and practices.”
As a result, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman announced the four permanent bans, as well as suspensions for coaches Craig Harrington and Alyse LaHue and much more.
“The league will continue to prioritize the implementation and improvement of the policies, programs and systems that put the health and safety of our players first,” Berman said in the statement. “These actions are fundamental to the future of our league, especially as we build a league that strengthens our players’ ability to succeed and thrive on and off the field. As part of our commitment to accountability and deterrence, the league determines that further corrective action regarding certain organizations and individuals identified in the joint investigative report is appropriate and necessary.”
North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley watches the quarterfinal match of the NWSL Challenge Cup at Zions Bank Stadium on July 17, 2020 in Herriman, Utah.
(Madie Meyer/Getty Images)
For Riley’s case, a previous report by U.S. Justice Department official Sally Yates was released in October that found he had alleged harassment and sexual misconduct dating back to 2015 during his time coaching in Portland, Oregon.
Both Yates’ report and the joint investigative team’s report said the NC Courage was not aware of the full extent of Riely’s actions before hiring him in 2017.
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Two former Portland Thorns players called him “a predator,” while one other player called it a “culture of fear,” according to WRAL News.
The Courage was also fined $100,000 and must hire a staff member separate from his husband, who is under the same ownership group.
“We stand firmly with the league, the NWSL Players Association and fellow clubs to keep player safety and well-being as our top priority,” the organization said in a statement on Monday.
Paul Riley during the 2020 NWSL College Draft at the Baltimore Convention Center on January 16, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland.
(Jose Argueta/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
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Five of the 10 head coaches in the NWSL last season were either fired or stepped down amid allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Lisa Baird also stepped down, making way for Berman.
