How Does the NWSL Keep Ramming its Shins Into Such a Low Bar?

The latest in a long series of head-scratching moments from the National Women’s Soccer League is the league’s finding that Bay FC head coach Albertin Montoya caused emotional harm to a number of players, but will not face any discipline.

Why?

Y’all better be sitting down for this one. Because, somehow, causing emotional harm to other people does NOT violate the league’s bullying and harassment policy. The league released a statement that says (bold type mine):

“The investigation concluded that Coach Montoya did not violate the NWSL Policy to Prevent and Eliminate Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying. The investigation also found that there were shortcomings in Coach Montoya’s communication style. The investigators made a series of recommendations to both Bay FC and the NWSL to facilitate more effective communication and enhance support structures, which the NWSL, Bay FC and Coach Montoya have taken, and are continuing to take, to address such concerns.”

There’s a reason why I bolded the sentence in the NWSL’s statement. And that ties into the sentence fragment that I’m bolding in the next statement, from Montoya himself.

“…I do not feel that way for 30 years that I’ve been coaching in this game, I take great pride and joy of making sure that we create the best environment for our players where they enjoy their football. I keep saying ‘enjoy’ because that’s what this game is about.”

These “shortcomings in communication style,” don’t happen in a vacuum. One doesn’t just suddenly go from being an awesome communicator to causing multiple cases of emotional distress.

And yet, even though investigators reportedly found his behavior, “unacceptable,” the NWSL didn’t recommend discipline because, gosh, he really didn’t mean to hurt anyone!

Seriously? SERIOUSLY???

What is even the point of having a policy against harassment and bullying when it can be easily defanged by saying, “Oh, gee, I didn’t intend to hurt anyone”?

All of this comes on the heels of a display of an absolutely shocking lack of humanity after Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsed during a game and required CPR on the field before being taken by ambulance to a local hospital. King is on the road to recovery after a successful surgery to treat a heart condition.

But it was the league’s decision to resume play in the game that came across as tone deaf and unbelievably cruel. There was no reason at all to make the players to continue the game after watching their young colleague get life-saving treatment on the field and be taken away in an ambulance! And, if that wasn’t horrifying enough, players were forced to do media after the game as well. It was awkward and heartbreaking and incredibly infuriating watching these players (and coaches) try to talk about a soccer game when that was the last thing on their minds.

The NWSL later determined that the game actually should have been abandoned, but even their statement admitting it came across as brittle corporate-speak:

“Having reviewed our protocols and how they were implemented, and in listening to feedback from our stakeholders, the Angel City vs Utah game last Friday night should not have continued and we regret that it did.”

And finally, there’s the NWSL’s partnership with Unwell Hydration. On the surface it sounds all right, but it’s the brand’s association with Alex Cooper and her Call Her Daddy podcast that initially raised eyebrows. Call Her Daddy originated as part of Barstool Sports, which is a deeply misogynistic network of sports-related blogs and podcasts. Though Cooper moved her podcast away from Barstool, she remains close friends with its founder, Dave Portnoy, who, among other terrible things (and that list is long), recently said he hoped that the humanitarian aid ship that activist Greta Thunberg was on would get hit by a missile.

This is not a group that I would want a women’s sports league aligned with at all, and the fact that Cooper still considers Portnoy a friend and mentor is troubling.

And don’t get me started on the Unwell FC Supporters Group the league is trying to push. The NWSL has an active, vibrant, and most of all, organic network of supporters groups already. There is no need at all for the league to manufacture one to push a product.

The bar is set so low: basic human decency. Vet coaches and team staff to make sure there isn’t a pattern and practice of bullying and/or harassment. Don’t align your league with misogynists. And for the love of all that is good and decent in this world, don’t continue a game after a player nearly died on the field! No amount of sponsorship or advertisement money is worth selling the league’s soul for.

This is not a difficult bar to clear, yet the NWSL seems determined to keep ramming its shins into it over and over again.