Former Utah Royals coach faces new allegations after joint investigation into women’s soccer league

[ad_1]

The new report comes just months after former AG Sally Yates investigated the NWSL.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Royals FC owner Dell Loy Hansen, left, shakes hands with his new head coach, former Chicago Red Stars assistant Craig Harrington during a press conference at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Friday, Feb. 2, 7. 2020.

| December 15, 2022, 1:00 p.m.

Former Utah Royals FC coach Craig Harrington is facing new allegations of inappropriate behavior during his time in the National Womens Soccer League after a new investigative report emerged on Wednesday.

The report, which comes just months after an initial report to the league by former Attorney General Sally B. Yates, cites two players who said that an intoxicated Harrington made comments about his cheating. wife and player appearances.

The world of professional women’s soccer was rocked in October when Yates’ report revealed systemic abuse and misconduct involving multiple NWSL teams. The inquest detailed the allegations against former Royals FC owner Dell Loy Hansen and Harrington, the team’s former coach.

On Wednesday, a new report released the results of a 14-month investigation into NWSL. The investigation was opened by the league and its players’ union. In the 125-page report, new details emerged regarding Harrington and his stint with the Royals and Chicago Red Stars.

The Yates report details allegations made against Harrington when he coached the Royals before his dismissal just nine months into the job. These allegations involved him contributing to the team’s toxic environment by making inappropriate and sexualized jokes and comments to staff.

Wednesday’s report goes further into Harrington’s behavior, although it’s unclear whether it deals solely with his time with the Royals or includes his time as an assistant with the Chicago Red Stars from 2018 to 2019.

The new report details the following allegations:

One player recalled Harrington saying, repeatedly in front of players, I need to have sex with someone tonight who isn’t my wife.

Two other players said Harrington told a player he wondered what her hair looked like when she got out of the shower.

Another player said Harrington made other comments about the players’ looks and bodies, including their breasts. She recalled this by commenting that some players had good bodies but unattractive faces, and he would refer to those players as butter faces or shrimp heads.

Harrington, according to the report, denied making those comments. He further stated that he never commented on player appearances or sexualized players.

According to the report, the players also alleged that an intoxicated Harrington tried to enter the hotel room of two players after he and several players went out drinking. A player who answered the door said she and her housemate didn’t want to go out and pushed him outside when he tried to enter, the report said.

Harrington told investigators a different story, saying a player called or texted him asking for help getting a drunk player to his room, according to the report. The player denied calling the coach, saying he was never called to come and help. She said she asked an employee for help, and Harrington was also there, the report said.

Harrington said with 100% certainty that he had never [did] and would never enter a gamer’s room.

Although Harrington denied the allegations against him, the report said the joint investigation team did not find his denials credible when compared with the accounts of several other witnesses.

Harrington started coaching the Royals ahead of the 2020 season, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was placed on administrative leave ahead of the NWSL Challenge Cup opener after allegations surfaced from The Athletic that he made several inappropriate comments of a sexual nature to staff.

After his dismissal from the Royals, Harrington took a job coaching Club Amrica Femenil, a women’s professional team in Mexico. He was fired in May and is now vice president of Global Data Scouting, according to his LinkedIn page.

[ad_2]