Bay FC is preparing for the debut for his second season within the National Women's Soccer League, which has examined a “toxic” work environment under the coach Albertin Montoya.
The NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed the investigation on Friday during a press conference before a season opening challenge cup game.
“A review is carried out by an independent third party, and we are very confident that the system we have, ensure that we will determine the problems that have to be tackled and that we will continue to work with all our clubs, our technical staff and our players to ensure that we achieve our goal of creating a safe, healthy working environment,” said Berman.
The first season of Bay FC contained some growing pain when it lost seven of his first nine games after which won three out of 5, only to resign from General Manager Lucy Rushon on June twenty fourth. Matt Potter temporarily took over the job and stays General Manager.
After a San Francisco Chronicle ReportMontoya, who was the primary head coach of Bay FC in 2024, was named in two formal complaints of “bullying”, with a nameless player said: “We asked for help and change, and never came.”
With regard to considered one of the symptoms, the leading spokesman for Bay FC, Lisa Goodwin Scharff, said in an e -mail that the club had taken the indictment seriously but found no evidence of misconduct.
In a team statement it says that Bay FC “worked closely with the league to review the outcomes of a survey at the tip of the season in reference to communication challenges and to take reasonable steps, and that Bay FC rating amongst clubs on this area rose from 11 from 14 to six out of 14.
“We were founded as a playful club and will do everything we need to ensure that we have a supportive environment for our players,” says the team statement.
Berman emphasized that the investigation itself doesn’t tense Montoya or Bay FC.
“You want to make an environment easier in which people can come forward without a predetermined conclusion that there has been a violation that there will be discipline,” said Berman. “As soon as you have an environment in which people report and think that this is the assumption, it prevents people from expressing proactive concerns.”
The message from the Bay FC examination comes for a month after the league arrange a 5 million dollar fund for players as a part of a settlement in relation to allegations of emotional and sexual misconduct in 2021.
Five coaches, including Paul Riley from North Carolina, were either released or resigned this 12 months
As a result, the NWSL have implemented changes to guard the players, including an improved review of Club employees and an anonymous tip line for players. The NWSL Players Association also negotiated security measures within the collective agreement with the league.
These cases have been within the NWSL that has existed since 2013 before the entry of Bay FC. Last week Bay FC accepted the resignation of the Scouting Director Graeme Abel, who was accused by Verbal Abuse by former players on the University of Oregon in 2024 and was then discontinued by Bay in February.
In its first 12 months of the competition, Bay FC ended with 34 points in the general rating 11-14 to secure the seventh of eight playoff places. A trade for the US World Cup winner Abby Dahlkemper, a former youth player of the Bay Area under Montoya, helped defense within the playoff boost.
Bay FC was eliminated 2-1 on the road against the Washington Spirit on the Playoff Opener, who finally lost the title game 1-0 to Orlando Spirit.
Bay FC opens its season on March 15 at Utah Royals FC, with the beginning of the house on March twenty second against Racing Louisville FC in PayPal Park.
The club awaits 20 of the 30 players who were on the roster in some unspecified time in the future in 2024 to be on this 12 months's opening day. The former No. 2 -Pick Savy King was traded after Angel City last month after requesting a deal. Last 12 months Katelyn Rowland announced her retirement within the training camp.
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