LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – The National Women's Soccer League has fined Racing Louisville Football Club and permanently banned former manager Christy Holly in the wake of sexual abuse allegations against the coach by a former player, Erin Simon.
The $200,000 fine was issued without specific explanation, but was not the highest level of financial penalty handed out by the league on a day when it meted out punishment for various incidents of harassment and other improper behavior around the sport. It established three tiers of sanctions, with Level One being the most serious. Racing Louisville received a Level 2 sanction.
The club also was ordered to establish distinct sporting leadership (general manager, coaches, etc.) from the men's club, LouCity FC, a USL club also owned by the group that owns Racing Louisville, and that leadership will be required to report directly to ownership, not to current officers.
Racing Louisville did not immediately respond to the sanctions. The club announced a search for a general manager in October of last year.
Responding to a joint report of the NWSL and its players association, the club said in December, "Our athletes should never have been put in this situation. We take responsibility for hiring Christy Holly, and we deeply regret not having a more stringent vetting process in place, something we have since corrected. The report clearly confirmed that 'when Racing Louisville learned of Holly’s sexual misconduct toward Erin Simon, the club acted quickly, firing him within hours of speaking to Simon.' . . . It is vital the Louisville community knows the compassion we feel for our players and the steps of accountability and healing we are taking as an organization. Racing Louisville FC — and everyone involved in women’s soccer — must do better to protect and support these world-class athletes."
The full statement, and list of actions taken, is available here.
In a statement accompanying the sanctions, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said, "The league will continue to prioritize implementing and enhancing the policies, programs and systems that put the health and safety of our players first. Those actions are fundamental to the future of our league, especially as we build a league that strengthens our players' ability to succeed and prosper on and off the pitch. As part of our commitment to accountability and deterrence, the league has determined that further corrective action with respect to certain organizations and individuals identified in the (NWSL and NWSL Players' Association) Joint Investigative Report is appropriate and necessary."
Simon alleged a long-running pattern of sexual harassment and other inappropriate treatment by Holly, first at SkyBlue FC, then at Racing Louisville. The club, when notified of Holly's behavior, fired him immediately, but also entered into a non-disclosure agreement, in part, it said, to protect Simon's identity at her request.
The league found fault in the club for not appropriately addressing separate player concerns about Holly, and allowing him to retaliate against some who came forward.
As part of other "corrective action" taken by the league, the Chicago Red Stars were fined $1.5 million and Portland Thorns $1 million. The North Carolina Courage were fined $100,000 and OL Reign and Gotham FC $50,000 each.
Holly was one of four coaches to be permanently excluded by the NWSL.
This story will be updated.
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