San Diego Wave denounces former employee’s allegations of poor work environment under Jill Ellis

This story has been up to date to mirror further feedback from NWSL gamers.

A former San Diego Wave worker has alleged on social media that the membership “perpetuated discrimination in opposition to girls and demonstrated an entire disregard for (workers’) long-term psychological well being.” The membership has denied the allegations.

A submit on former Wave video and artistic supervisor Brittany Alvarado’s account on X alleged that, of greater than 30 workers who had been fired or stop because the staff started operation, practically 75 p.c of them had been girls, and that the detrimental remedy of workers was a part of an unhealthy work surroundings fostered by Wave president Jill Ellis.

The submit referred to as for the league to take away Ellis from her place on the Wave. Alvarado’s LinkedIn reveals that she started working for the membership in March 2023, with a follow-up submit from Alvarado’s account stating that she resigned on June 7, 2024.

The Wave posted a response on their social media denying the allegations.

“San Diego Wave has been made conscious of a latest social media submit by a former worker that incorporates inaccurate and defamatory statements concerning the membership,” the assertion mentioned.

The Wave added that they’re reviewing the state of affairs and “intends to pursue all authorized avenues out there to appropriately handle this matter.”

The Wave intends to pursue authorized issues following the allegations (Ronald Martinez/Getty Photos)

Alvarado additional alleged that the Nationwide Ladies’s Soccer League (NWSL) has not totally applied the suggestions from each the Sally Yates-led and the joint NWSLPA investigative reports from 2022, which detailed systemic unhealthy and abusive work environments at each the league and membership ranges.

The Wave recently fired head coach Casey Stoney on June 24. Stoney had beforehand led the staff to a league-first end within the 2023 common season and third total in 2022. In 2024, the Wave was 3-2-6 on the time that Stoney was dismissed. Stoney responded on her social media that she was upset she “wasn’t given the time to carry a Championship to San Diego.”

Whereas in a roundabout way linking Stoney’s firing to her choice to talk, Alvarado cited Stoney specifically in her submit as a constructive affect.

An NWSL spokesperson mentioned: “The security, well being, and well-being of everybody related to our league is our highest precedence. We take critical any and each report of potential misconduct, rent certified unbiased investigators to evaluate these allegations totally, and act when allegations are supported by the information uncovered. We’ve mandated corrective motion in each occasion the place experiences have been corroborated, as much as and together with the removing of people who don’t reside as much as our values and requirements.

“We encourage anybody with info of potential wrongdoing to report that misconduct to the League Security Officer. Alternatively, people could report anonymously through Actual Response, by texting 872-259-6975.”

Former U.S. girls’s nationwide staff participant Sydney Leroux has additionally criticized Ellis prior to now when she was USWNT head coach from 2014 to 2019.

In 2020, Leroux instructed “The Crack Podcast,” hosted by DaMarcus Beasley and Oguchi Onyewu: “I appreciated her as an individual, not (as a coach). … We received despite (Ellis). She’s not good for individuals’s psychological well being, that’s for certain. One of the best factor was for her to go.”

Leroux shared her assist of Alvarado on Wednesday, writing on X: “It’s the braveness of 1 individual to start out telling their story in hopes that extra individuals will really feel snug sufficient to sooner or later inform theirs.”

Longtime USWNT star and Wave striker Alex Morgan mentioned she was upset to listen to concerning the allegations made by former Wave workers.

“As gamers, we’ve labored arduous to construct a staff that’s surrounded by an inclusive, constructive and protected surroundings,” Morgan wrote on X. “But it surely’s essential to me that we’re creating that surroundings for each gamers AND employees all through all the group. Fairness within the office is one thing I’ve and can proceed to advocate for.

“I wish to be happy with what we’re constructing on the Wave however it’s clear that there’s a lot work to be achieved.”

GO DEEPER

Full Time: Was Casey Stoney’s firing too harsh?

 (Ira L. Black – Corbis/Getty Photos)