Review says Canada Soccer mishandled sexual harassment allegations against coach
An independent review has concluded that Canada Soccer “mishandled” sexual harassment allegations in 2008 against then under-20 women’s coach Bob Birarda, who is currently awaiting sentencing on sexual assault charges.
“The leaders of Canada Soccer acknowledged to the IRT that mistakes were made in how the Birarda complaint process was managed and communicated including regrets that “we had taken a silent position on this,” it added. Birarda is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in February to three counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual touching while in a position of authority. A sentencing hearing is expected to resume in September.
While as many as 25 players listed on a 2008 roster for the Whitecaps women’s team were affiliated with the U-20 national side, there was no formal agreement between Vancouver and Canada Soccer.The men’s under-20 team coach reported to a technical director, who reported to the general secretary. However the women’s U-20 team did not have a technical director and “all supervisory authority — on paper — rested with the WNT head coach.
“This review spells out in black and white how the CSA mishandled the 2008 harassment allegations. It provides a timeline of actions, details how policies were not followed, and outlines a pattern of not documenting decisions that has ultimately resulted in frustration and anger by players that continues today,” McLaren wrote.
The review drew on 28 interviews including 23 current and former Canada Soccer officials. While 23 former players were invited to participate, only three consented to interviews. The report said those interviews “corroborated other witness accounts and public statements made by former players in 2019.”
“There was no additional follow-up between the CSA and players on the U-20 WNT as it concerned the May complaints; the CSA did not make any support mechanisms available to players on the team, nor did they take the opportunity to remind players of the rules and regulations governing harassment or raise any awareness regarding players’ rights in the event of any continued harassment by Birarda,” the McLaren report said.
“Most players on the U-20 WNT were not asked or invited to participate in the investigation. There is no written record of the investigation including the terms of reference, final report, and recommendations,” the report said. Members of Canada Soccer’s executive committee at the time said the ombudsman’s “verbal recommendations” were the basis for their vote to terminate Birarda. That vote, however, was not documented in any meeting minutes of the executive committee or board of directors.
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