Two years of ugly, painful revelations about the abusive coaching culture that operated in the NWSL’s shadows have horrified supporters and sponsors, brought down a raft of coaches, including previously lauded names, and forced administrative change.
Hoping for an end to the scandals may be wishful thinking. Already this year, championship-winning Portland Thorns have fired assistant coach Sophie Clough and athletic trainer Pierre Soubrier.
Clough was found to have made “inappropriate and unwanted physical contact” with a player, “kissing her neck at the team’s championship celebration”, while Soubrier was axed for administering a medication containing codeine – a controlled substance – to two players, one “without her informed consent”. The husband of star player Crystal Dunn, Soubrier now faces an inquiry by state regulators.
The NWSL is