Sinead Farrelly is set to train with the Ireland squad this week in Texas, just 18 months after being a prime mover in exposing endemic abuse within the American soccer scene.
Midfielder Farrelly, along with former Thorns teammate Mana Shim, blew the whistle on accusations of sexual coercion and harassment against then-Portland coach Paul Riley, who was promptly sacked despite his continual denials.
Their brave decision to go public prompted a litany of other complaints across the 12-club National Women’s Soccer League and an investigation led by former acting attorney general Sally Yates.
Her damning report found that verbal and emotional abuse, as well as sexual misconduct, had become systemic in the NWSL. By the conclusion of the season, according to the report: “Half of the league’s teams had parted ways with their coaches”.
Farrelly is only now rebuilding her career, having originally retired in 2015 at the age of just 25.
“It took me years away from the game to gain the awareness of how power imbalance works and to be able to tell people close to me what happened,” the now 33-year-old told The Athletic.
Farrelly recently initiated her return to the American top-flight by earning a contract with Gotham City, 12 months in duration with an option to extend, and featured for the first time in Sunday’s game against OL Reign.
The Pennsylvania native has represented US up to Under-23 level but is ready to throw her lot in with Ireland ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
...
Dish Wireless LLC agreed to pay roughly $17 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims submitted to Fed...