Abuse and sex, the scandal that has engulfed women's football in the US

Abuse and sex, the scandal that has engulfed women's football in the US

Sexual abuse, porn videos, questions about the intimate life of the players. An independent investigation by the American Football Federation reveals a long list of facts that have involved coaches and managers of the National Women's Soccer League and the American Federation for years and of which many athletes have been victims.

Among the episodes reported in the dossier, one concerns the French coach of Racing Louisville, Christy Holly. The technician would have summoned a female player to her home for a video session, telling her that he would touch her on her breasts and genitals "for every wrong pass" shown in the video. Then, according to the New York Times, Holly would masturbate in front of the player. The technician was fired.

Another coach, Paul Riley, had forced three soccer players into sexual intercourse, while a third, Rory Dames used to ask young soccer players to tell him about their sex life.

According to what emerged from the investigation, many athletes in various clubs would have suffered harassment, and the managers of the clubs and the federation would always turn a blind eye. "The abuses - explained Sally Yates, chief investigator - were now part of a system that involved many teams, coaches and victims".

Harassment has targeted female players since youth. Cindy Parlow Cone, president of the American federation, called the case "shocking". "We as a federation - she added - are fully committed to doing everything in our power to ensure that all players, at all levels, can have a safe and enjoyable way to learn, grow and compete."

A number of new recommendations will be adopted, including a requirement to have contact persons in clubs for women to contact and a ban on the reintegration of coaches fired for harassment and abuse.