Ex-Houston Dash coach files lawsuit against NWSL, NWSLPA

Lawyers representing former Houston Dash supervisor James Clarkson mentioned they filed a lawsuit against the NWSL, the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) and others Friday, claiming Clarkson was defamed when a joint investigation carried out by the league and the NWSLPA concluded he engaged in “abuse and emotional misconduct.”

Others named within the swimsuit embrace regulation corporations Covington & Burling LLP and Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, in addition to Amanda Kramer, Mona Patel and Arianna Scavetti, attorneys who had been a part of the group investigating Clarkson and others.

– NWSL abuse allegations, as they occurred

The lawsuit, a duplicate of which was obtained by ESPN, filed in District Court for Harris County, Texas, alleges that the defendants engaged in defamation, tortious interference and conspiracy. Among the damages sought by the lawsuit are these for damage to fame, the financial worth of all misplaced advantages of the contract defendants tortiously interfered with, and punitive damages.

“The NWSLPA was notified by an ESPN reporter that James Clarkson, former Houston Dash coach, intends to name us in a defamation lawsuit,” the NWSLPA mentioned in an announcement issued to ESPN, citing the truth that the NWSLPA has not but been served with the lawsuit.

“Without having been served, we are unable to respond to any specific allegations. We know, however, that the truth is our defense. We are steadfast in our commitment to protecting NWSL Players, and we will do so anywhere, anytime, anyplace, including in a court of law, where facts and evidence matter.”

The NWSL didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. Each of the opposite defendants named within the lawsuit weren’t instantly obtainable when ESPN tried to strategy them for remark.

Clarkson’s lawsuit follows a joint investigation carried out by the NWSL and NWSLPA after stories of quite a few allegations of sexual and emotional abuse perpetrated by coaches against gamers started surfacing in September 2021. The joint investigation was carried out by the 2 aforementioned regulation corporations, and was carried out in parallel with the same investigation carried out by the U.S. Soccer Federation.

In April 2022, simply earlier than the beginning of the season, Clarkson was suspended by the Dash on the urging of the NWSL and NWSLPA after the joint investigation alleged it had uncovered “initial findings” of “discrimination, harassment and abuse.” The NWSLPA issued an announcement confirming the explanations for Clarkson’s suspension. The Dash continued to pay Clarkson, however he was not permitted to have contact with the group.

The findings of the us investigation had been launched on Oct. 3, 2022, with Clark talked about 5 occasions, as soon as in reference to his suspension, and 4 different occasions as a part of footnotes. He was not accused of wrongdoing in that report.

The findings of the joint investigation had been launched in December 2022 and offered particulars referring to Clarkson’s suspension. It mentioned that Clarkson was positioned on non permanent suspension after the league obtained complaints from gamers that he engaged in “ongoing emotional misconduct and insensitivity.” Upon launch of the joint investigation’s closing report, the Dash introduced Clarkson’s contract wouldn’t be renewed.

The investigation revealed {that a} majority of gamers thought-about Clarkson “fair” and that his conduct did not rise to the extent of abuse or emotional misconduct. But the Joint Investigative Team concluded in any other case, citing an incident by which Clarkson berated the group as a result of he thought that a few of them had been out ingesting the night time earlier than an exhibition sport, and that gamers felt it created a tradition of “anxiety and fear.”

Clarkson’s lawsuit states: “The law does not allow professional sports organizations and their lawyers to ruin careers by publishing libelous keystrokes to the world. Yet Defendants did exactly that to Plaintiff James Clarkson.”

The lawsuit additionally contends that the joint investigation’s report comprises 14 unsubstantiated allegations and that different Dash workers members, corresponding to assistant coach Brenton Saylor, athletic coach Francis Gilbert, then-team president John Walker and stadium common supervisor Juan Rodriguez, who might again Clarkson’s model of occasions in relation to among the allegations, weren’t interviewed.

The lawsuit additionally states: “As a result of Defendants’ course of conduct, Coach Clarkson and his family have been humiliated. His reputation has been tarnished, he has been unable to find comparable work despite his best efforts, and his employment prospects remain depressingly limited. Through this lawsuit, Coach Clarkson intends to clear his good name, expose Defendants’ lies, and hold them all accountable for the harm they recklessly and maliciously inflicted.”