Five former employees of the San Diego Wave professional women's soccer team have filed a lawsuit against the team and themselves in San Diego Superior Court. National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) total.
One of the five plaintiffs stated in court documents that he had suffered sexual violence at the hands of a friend, but did not report the allegations to the club or the police at the time.
Other plaintiffs allege, among other things, discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination of employment against the women's football club. The lawsuit alleged that both the team and the league failed to respond to complaints about a toxic work culture. The lawsuit also states NWSL I investigated the complaint against Wave twice, but ultimately nothing was done.
The woman who complained of sexual assault, identified in the lawsuit by the pseudonym Jane Doe, stated that she did not report the allegations out of fear of retaliation and possible loss of job. He claims he told his manager that another employee was hitting him and expressed concerns about the working environment at the club as well as his knowledge of the investigation.
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NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird during the match between Portland Thorns FC and North Carolina Courage at Zions Bank Stadium on July 17, 2020 in Herriman, Utah. (Photo: Brian Byerly/ISI Photo/Getty Images)
“Appallingly, Defendant NWSL told Plaintiff Doe during the investigation that Defendant Wave was not notified of sexual harassment because she used the word “assault” instead of the phrase “sexual harassment” when reporting the incidents. Defendant NWSL's own policy uses the word “assault.” NO. Uses rather vague terminology. There is no reason why a sexual assault survivor should have to use magical language when testifying,” court documents read.
The plaintiffs seek compensatory damages as well as punitive damages for lost wages and benefits and emotional distress.
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“The safety, health and well-being of everyone associated with our league is our highest priority,” the National Women’s Soccer League said in a statement. (Rich Gresley/ICON Sportswear via Getty Images)
The league responded in a statement Wednesday.
“The safety, health and well-being of everyone associated with our league is our highest priority. We take every report of potential misconduct seriously, employ qualified independent investigators to thoroughly review allegations, and take action when allegations are substantiated. We attach particular importance to the fact that this is an active legal matter. “I will not be commenting,” the NWSL said.
On Wednesday, The Wave sent a statement to The Associated Press regarding employee complaints.
“The matter relates to allegations originally raised on July 3, 2024. As the matter is ongoing, we are unable to comment further at this time,” the panel said.
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Wave president Jill Ellis was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. In July, Ellis filed a defamation lawsuit against Alvarado, calling the allegations in the social media post false and “personally hurtful.”
In a lengthy post on X, Alvarado stated that the workplace was discriminatory and that it was affecting him. sanity
Ellis, who coached the U.S. national team that won the world title in 2015 and 2019, responded at the time that mental health issues were a priority for the club and that the club had support systems in place, including an employee assistance program. He added that when allegations of inappropriate behavior emerged, the team launched an investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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