PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The North Carolina Courage terminated Head Coach Paul Riley on Thursday after allegations of misconduct were published in The Athletic on Wednesday.
Riley was the head coach of the Thorns FC and some of the allegations occurred while he was in Portland.
The Thorns released a statement on Wednesday, saying in part: “We take all complaints about harassment extremely seriously. Immediately upon receiving a complaint from a player in 2015, we conducted a thorough investigation advised by an outside law firm and placed Riley on administrative leave. While the findings did not show unlawful activity, they did uncover clear violations of our company policies. Based on this, we chose to sever ties with Riley. The findings of the investigation were fully shared with the NWSL league office.”
NC Courage released a statement after his firing, saying “The NC Courage support the players who have come forward and we commend them for bravely sharing their stories. The North Carolina Football Club is united together in our commitment to creating a safe, positive, and respectful environment, not only within our club but across the league and our great sport. As previously stated, players and staff are encouraged to report any inappropriate behavior in accordance with NWSL policy as we prioritize efforts to maintain the highest professional standards of conduct throughout our organization.”