FILE - Cindy Parlow Cone, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, speaks following a U.S. women's match against Nigeria at Audi Field, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, in Washington. An independent investigation into the scandals that erupted in the National Women's Soccer League last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players, according to a report released Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. Cindy Parlow Cone called the findings heartbreaking and deeply troubling. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)FILE - Portland Thorns fans hold signs during the first half of the team's NWSL soccer match against the Houston Dash in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. An independent investigation into the scandals that erupted in the National Women's Soccer League last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players, according to a report released Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Dipaola, File)FILE - Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates speaks at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass., May 24, 2017. An independent investigation into the scandals that erupted in the National Women's Soccer League last season showed that emotional abuse and sexual misconduct was systemic in the sport, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players. Abuse in the NWSL is rooted in a deeper culture in womens soccer, beginning in youth leagues, that normalizes verbally abusive coaching and blurs boundaries between coaches and players, former Acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates wrote in her report for U.S. Soccer, which was released on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2019, file photo, United States' Becky Sauerbrunn is shown during an international friendly soccer match against Portugal in Philadelphia. Players on the U.S. women's national soccer team are trying to process an investigation that found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct are systemic in womens soccer. U.S. defender Becky Sauerbrunn says she is horrified by the report. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
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FILE - Cindy Parlow Cone, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, speaks following a U.S. women's match against Nigeria at Audi Field, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, in Washington. An independent investigation into the scandals that erupted in the National Women's Soccer League last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players, according to a report released Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. Cindy Parlow Cone called the findings heartbreaking and deeply troubling. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
Parlow Cone was interviewed twice Friday by the television network and didn't provide details of the new misconduct cases. She said the U.S. Center for SafeSport and other authorities have been made aware of the three new reports.
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“I’m also hoping that people do feel safe now to come forward or are … learning about where to come forward to report this because this is so important,” Parlow Cone told CNN. “We’re not going to be able to root it out unless more brave people come forward to tell us.”
Five of 10 NWSL coaches either were fired or stepped down last season amid allegations of misconduct.
More than 200 people were interviewed by investigators looking into the allegations of harassment and sexual coercion and abuse. The NWSL, U.S. Soccer, teams and individuals provided documents. The independent investigation, run by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates and the law firm King & Spaulding, focused on three former coaches: Paul Riley, with the Portland Thorns and later the North Carolina Courage, Christy Holly of Racing Louisville and Rory Dames of the Chicago Red Stars.
On Wednesday, the Portland Thorns dismissed a pair of team executives a day after owner Merritt Paulson removed himself from a decision-making role with the team. Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler also stepped back from his role, and Racing Louisville President James O’Connor apologized to fans and a former player who alleged she was sexually abused by Holly.
On Friday, England and the U.S. women's teams played a friendly before nearly 77,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. They wore teal armbands in solidarity with sexual abuse victims and together held a banner that read “Protect the Players” just before kickoff.
The Yates report made numerous recommendations to prioritize player health and safety. U.S. Soccer also said it would immediately implement programs to protect players.
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