U.S. soccer president tells CNN more misconduct cases reported
John Patrick Bedell, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY
The U.S. Soccer Federation on Thursday announced that a total of 14 current and former players have been disciplined for alleged domestic violence. It is their third report of such incidents in the past six months.
The cases were reported to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the U.S. Department of Justice. USADA and the Office of the Inspector General will handle the investigation.
“We take USADA’s announcement of the results of their investigation very seriously and are cooperating with them in their investigation,” U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said in a statement. “We are all very concerned by this finding and will work diligently with the federation to ensure that we continue to provide the greatest level of safety for our players.”
Former U.S. men’s player Megan Rapinoe was suspended for four games last month. She had said in a news conference that she was being targeted because of her relationship with U.S. women’s coach Jill Ellis. The case has not yet been resolved.
Other cases this year and last year involve retired U.S. national team players. Last November, U.S. Soccer suspended five players after an independent investigator determined that some had been coached and drugged in their last competitive matches. The case was later dropped. And in 2011, five men’s and women’s players were suspended after allegations of physical abuse and sexual assault against them.
“As a result of the ongoing review into domestic violence and sexual assault allegations that have been reported to us, we have decided to extend our previous discipline guideline,” Gulati said. “As a result, we have decided on an extension of four years of banishment.”
The new guidelines include cases of abuse in any relationship, dating violence between consenting adults without children involved and spousal abuse.
Here are the cases reported.
MUST READ
Nashville soccer star: What happened on the field
USA TODAY Sports: What happened after a young footballer died of a drug overdose
USA TODAY Sports: The impact of conc