U.S. soccer president tells CNN more misconduct cases reported by players
The U.S. national soccer team’s soccer team president, Gregg Berhalter, is expected to tell the U.S. soccer team of at least nine instances of misconduct cases reported by players that, if they were reported, would be “prohibited” in the sport.
In a letter to the U.S. soccer team dated Friday, Berhalter said the player misconduct cases he is referring to are “many,” and not all “will be reported.” He said the instances raise concerns about the sport and are “alarming” and “concerning.”
Berhalter wrote:
“The number of serious incidents of misconduct reported to the U.S. Soccer Federation by players, coaches, and staff has increased significantly since the U.S. Women’s National Team began fielding competitive matches in 2017 and will continue to grow in 2018 and beyond.
“The number and severity of these incidents are concerning and unacceptable.
“To address this issue, the U.S. Soccer Federation is establishing a policy that prohibits player misconduct in the future.
“This policy will be implemented in the context of the U.S. Soccer Federation-led Strategic Plan for Women’s Soccer, which will be released at a later date.”
Players who violate the prohibition, including by participating in on-field misconduct “will be subject to disciplinary action, including being banned from competition, forfeiture of prize money, and suspensions or fines,” Berhalter wrote.
“This will not be a one-size-fits-all policy, but rather a comprehensive, individualized response based on each incident’s severity of infraction and the overall level of professionalism of the offending player.”
This is not Berhalter’s first intervention regarding the issue.
In a May 2018 letter to the U.S. women’s national team that was heavily redacted because of concerns over national security, the U.S