Facing mounting public pressure following the release of U.S. Soccer’s investigation into widespread misconduct and abuse in the National Women’s Soccer League, Portland Thorns and Timbers owner Merritt Paulson announced Tuesday that he would remove himself and executives Gavin Wilkinson and Mike Golub from all Thorns-related decision making effective immediately.
The moves will last, Paulson said, at least until the NWSL and its players’ association finish their own independent investigation into the league’s misconduct. Paulson, Wilkinson and Golub will remain in their roles with the Timbers for now without change, The Oregonian/OregonLive confirmed.
“Yesterday’s Yates report unveiling was the darkest day I have experienced, and I know the same is true for everyone else who loves our team and our league,” Paulson said in a written statement. “I would imagine that it was even harder and darker for those whose stories were shared publicly. We have promised the NWSL that we will not do media or make any public statements related to the investigations until the joint NWSL/NWSLPA Investigation is released in November, which is tremendously difficult. I cannot apologize enough for our role in a gross systemic failure to protect player safety and the missteps we made in 2015. I am truly sorry.”
Paulson’s decision comes after the release a damning investigative report from U.S. Soccer that found Paulson and Wilkinson enabled and vouched for former Thorns coach Paul Riley, who has been accused by former players Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly of sexual misconduct. Golub is accused of making an inappropriate sexual remark to former Thorns coach Cindy Parlow Cone in 2013 and has previously faced criticism for fomenting a “toxic” work environment for his employees.
According to Yates’ investigation, Paulson sent an email to the president of the Western New York Flash vouching for Riley and saying he had “a lot of affection for him,” despite knowing the sum of Shim’s allegations in 2015 and that the coach had been accused of non-sexual abusive behavior to his players as early as 2014. The report added that Wilkinson blamed Shim for “putting (Riley) in a bad position” and said he’d “hire him in a heartbeat.”
Calls for Paulson to sell both the Timbers and Thorns and fire Wilkinson and Golub have grown louder in the past 24 hours.
“Given the Thorns are about to enter the NWSL Playoffs, I have told the NWSL that I will be removing myself effective today from all Thorns-related decision making until the joint investigation, which we are fully cooperating with, is released,” Paulson said. “Gavin Wilkinson and Mike Golub will do the same. All Thorns related decisions until that time that any of us would have made will now be handled by Heather Davis, our General Counsel.”
U.S. Soccer concluded the Thorns also interfered with its investigation — which spanned a year — and that Paulson and Wilkinson made inappropriate comments to women in the workplace.
“I very much appreciate your patience and believe it’s critical that the process play out with the Joint Investigation,” Paulson continued in his statement. “I love the Portland Thorns and women’s soccer, and am taking these steps with those interests in mind.”
The Oregonian/OregonLive asked MLS for comment about the top executives of one of its teams continuing in their leadership roles while at the same time stepping back from those roles for a professional women’s soccer team.
“Major League Soccer is assessing the situation,” a league spokesperson said late Tuesday afternoon.
UPDATE (3:52 p.m. PT): An updated version of Paulson’s statement now appears on the Thorns’ website.
The following quote no longer appears in the statement: “We have promised the NWSL that we will not do media or make any public statements related to the investigations until the joint NWSL/NWSLPA Investigation is released in November, which is tremendously difficult.”
The phrase “Gavin Wilkinson and Mike Golub will do the same,” referencing Paulson’s decision to remove himself from Thorns-related decision making, now says, “Gavin Wilkinson and Mike Golub will also step aside.”
A Thorns spokesperson told The Oregonian/OregonLive: “The correct version of the statement is the one that appears on our social media.”
UPDATE (4:45 p.m. PT): NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman made the following statement: “The NWSL is supportive of the important steps taken by the Portland Thorns and Chicago Red Stars today. As the League continues to evaluate the Yates report, I want to assure you that we remain committed to implementing reform and disciplinary action, both as a result of the Yates Report and the NWSL/NWSLPA’s Joint Investigative Team’s findings. The Joint Investigative Team is working towards concluding their report by the end of the year, and we will not interfere with that process, as the findings of that investigation will offer important input from our players. While it will take time, we are fully prepared to take the necessary steps to protect the health and safety of our players, staff and other stakeholders in order to create the League that our players, fans, partners and staff deserve and expect.”
UPDATE (9:13 p.m. PT): The NWSL provided The Oregonian/OregonLive with a response to questions about the quote removed by the Thorns from Paulson’s original statement, and it confirmed the league asked clubs not to make statements that may interfere with its investigation:
“It’s critically important that the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigative Team is afforded the opportunity to finish their work, unimpeded,” a NWSL spokesperson said. “The league has requested that clubs refrain from making statements that would improperly influence or jeopardize the integrity of the Joint Investigative Team’s report or its findings.
“The Joint Investigative Team is working towards concluding its report by the end of the year, and the NWSL is committed to protecting the integrity of that process and ensuring the findings of that investigation will offer important input from our players. While it will take time, our League is fully prepared to take the necessary steps to protect the health and safety of our players, staff and other stakeholders in order to create the League that our players, fans, partners and staff deserve and expect.”
Read the full U.S. Soccer report here.
-- Ryan Clarke, rclarke@oregonian.com, Twitter: @RyanTClarke
Ad Choices