The Portland Thorns have fired their athletic coach after an out of doors investigation discovered he illegally distributed a managed substance to gamers, the National Women’s Soccer League mentioned Tuesday.
The NWSL, beset lately by abuse and misconduct allegations, introduced that the coach, Pierre Soubrier, was fired together with Thorns assistant coach Sophie Clough. Soubrier is married to U.S. ladies’s crew defender Crystal Dunn. The league mentioned Clough made undesirable contact with a participant.
The league additionally mentioned abuse allegations towards former Washington Spirit coach Kris Ward had been substantiated and he’s ineligible to work within the NWSL with out the commissioner’s approval. An investigation concluded Ward engaged in “detrimental racial stereotyping towards a participant.”
Thorns crew doctor Dr. Breanne Brown reported in November that Soubrier had given gamers a drugs containing codeine the earlier month and not using a prescription.
Thorns coach Rhian Wilkinson resigned final month after main the crew to the NWSL title and proprietor Merritt Paulson put up the crew on the market. Wilkinson mentioned she was investigated and cleared of wrongdoing by the NWSL and its gamers’ union after she self-reported that she and a participant had developed emotions for each other however had by no means acted upon them.
An investigation by former Attorney General Sally Q. Yates revealed in October that abuse within the league was systemic, and a report by the league and its union final month discovered widespread misconduct.
Soubrier, 35, was born in France, performed faculty soccer at Quinnipiac in Connecticut and was employed by the Thorns in 2019. Dunn, a 2019 World Cup champion who has made 128 worldwide appearances, met Soubrier whereas they each had been with Washington. They married in December 2018. Dunn was not cited for misconduct by the NWSL.
The league mentioned abuse allegations towards Washington Spirit head coach Kris Ward, seen right here on this 2021 file photograph, had been substantiated and he’s ineligible to work within the NWSL with out the commissioner’s approval. An investigation concluded Ward engaged in “detrimental racial stereotyping towards a participant.” (Jeff Dean/The Associated Press)
When contacted by The Associated Press, Soubrier declined remark presently on the league’s assertion.
He was positioned on paid administrative go away Dec. 7, and the investigation decided “Soubrier was discovered to have administered the managed substance to the gamers on a number of events and not using a prescription and doctor supervision which is a violation of federal and state legal guidelines and league coverage. Further, Soubrier administered the medicine to one of many gamers with out her knowledgeable consent.”
Brown advised an investigator she had offered Soubrier in a single occasion on the coach’s request entry to a managed substance to provide to a participant if mandatory. Brown then grew to become uncomfortable and retrieved the substance.
Soubrier was suspended by the league with out pay by way of the top of the 2023 season, and the NWSL mentioned it’ll report him to the Oregon Board of Athletic Trainers and the Board of Certification. The league mentioned the crew had fired Soubrier and he can be eligible for future NWSL employment topic to the Oregon state selections and necessities as alongside as “he acknowledges wrongdoing and accepts private accountability for his conduct and demonstrates a honest dedication to correcting his behaviour.”
Increased oversight
The league mentioned Brown can be topic to elevated oversight by and reporting to the NWSL chief medical officer for 3 months, then can be assessed.
U.S. Soccer Federation President Cindy Parlow Cone referred a query on the matter to spokesman Neil Buethe, who mentioned the group declined remark.
The league mentioned it was advised by the Thorns in November that Clough “made a participant really feel uncomfortable by kissing her neck on the crew’s championship celebration.” The NWSL mentioned undesirable contact in violation of league coverage was substantiated however claims of bullying behaviour weren’t substantiated and “Clough didn’t exceed the bounds of acceptable teaching.”
Clough, 34, had been a Thorns assistant coach since 2016. She additionally was suspended with out pay by way of the 2023 season by the league and was fired by the crew.
Clough can be eligible for one more job within the league if she “participates in coaching associated to discrimination, harassment and bullying, demonstrates a transparent dedication to correcting behaviour and acknowledges wrongdoing and accepts private accountability for inappropriate conduct.”
Ward, 43, coached Washington to the 2020 NWSL title, then was fired final August throughout a 15-game winless streak. The league mentioned it was advised by the Spirit that month that gamers “raised considerations about verbal abuse and emotional misconduct” by Ward throughout a coaching session. The league mentioned the investigation discovered Ward “engaged in overly aggressive behaviour and harassment by way of detrimental racial stereotyping in direction of a participant.”
The NSWL mentioned Ward wants approval from the league commissioner to be eligible for future employment and “should take part in obligatory coaching associated to discrimination, harassment, bullying and racial bias” and has to “acknowledge wrongdoing and settle for private accountability for inappropriate conduct.”
Clough and Ward couldn’t be contacted by the AP.
