The lengthy investigation found Whisler dismissed and ignored allegations from players about verbal and emotional abuse by the club’s former coach, Rory Dames, who resigned in November 2021. The club was one of several caught up in the league-wide abuse scandal, news of which broke last year, and was particularly implicated in Yates’ report. Whisler was a founding owner of the Red Stars, one of the Women’s Professional Soccer teams in 2007, which went on to become an NWSL franchise upon the league’s birth in 2013. There is no timeline for the Red Stars sale, according to a person familiar with the club, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the sale, but the process, while now active, is only in its beginning stages. The Red Stars board of directors removed him as chairman, and a club spokesperson said in early October that the board hoped to facilitate the sale of Whisler’s shares in a timely manner. Attorney General Sally Yates into allegations of widespread abuse and sexual misconduct within women’s professional soccer and the NWSL that implicated the pair of clubs, and amid an ongoing joint probe by the NWSL and NWSLPA, the findings of which are expected to be released in the coming weeks.Īfter the Yates report was released, Whisler stepped away from a decision-making role with the club, passed operational control to its executive team and removed himself from the NWSL board of governors. Both sales come in the aftermath of an independent investigation led by former Deputy U.S. Paulson, who also owns the Portland Timbers, will retain ownership of the MLS team. The news comes on the heels of Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson’s announcement earlier Thursday that he intended to sell the club. The NWSL and Inner Circle declined to comment. It also outlined a process for identifying potential investors and solicited introductions to parties who may be interested in participating. In an email sent from the Red Stars board to shareholders Thursday, the contents of which were viewed by Sportico, the board informed recipients that Whisler had hired an outside firm to sell his stake. Whisler said he plans to work with both the league and the club to “diligently find the right ownership” and ensure a smooth transition.
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