Red Stars Remove Arnim Whisler as Chairman amid NWSL Abuse Scandal

Arnim Whisler is no longer the chairman of the Chicago Red Stars.

Following the release of the findings from the independent investigation led by former United States deputy attorney general Sally Q. Yates that looked into allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct within women's professional soccer in the U.S., the NWSL team's board of directors announced it voted to remove Whisler from his position.

"The Board was deeply disappointed after reading the Yates report and believes the club cannot move forward in rebuilding trust with players, staff and the Red Stars community with his continued involvement," the statement said, in part.

Whisler released a statement on Tuesday revealing he was removing himself from his governance role with the NWSL board of governors and would no longer be in control of the Red Stars because he believed "current presence is a distraction."

He also said, "I am filled with sorrow upon reading the many stories and experiences shared by so many incredibly brave individuals who have played in the NWSL, including our beloved club. I am so deeply sorry for what our players experienced during their time spent in Chicago."

On Monday, the United States Soccer Federation released the findings of the investigation one year to the date it announced it retained Yates to conduct it after multiple reports of allegations of mistreatment toward players, sexual misconduct, and hostile workplaces.

The full report summarized the findings of abuse and misconduct within the sport at multiple levels:

"Our investigation has revealed a league in which abuse and misconduct—verbal and emotional abuse and sexual misconduct—had become systemic, spanning multiple teams, coaches, and victims. Abuse in the NWSL is rooted in a deeper culture in women's soccer, beginning in youth leagues, that normalizes verbally abusive coaching and blurs boundaries between coaches and players. The verbal and emotional abuse players describe in the NWSL is not merely 'tough' coaching."

Notably, U.S. women's national team star Christen Press told the Washington Post's Molly Hensley-Clancy last November that Rory Dames, who was her coach with the Red Stars, created a "toxic environment."

She said then-president Sunil Gulati "dismissed her concerns."

Whisler was mentioned a number of times in the Yates report, including when he suggested National Team players had an "axe to grind" with Dames and were motivated by their desire for "this league to shut down."

He also dismissed concerns about Dames as "Rory being Rory" and never completed a full background check or due diligence of the coach before hiring him, per Yates' report. Witnesses said Whisler was long aware of Dames' verbal and emotional abuse and even declined to accept the coach's resignation offer amid the complaints against him.

Following the release of the report's findings, U.S. Soccer announced it would undertake a number of recommendations in an effort to improve player safety.

Among those recommendations is a mandate to create a "uniform minimum standard for background checks for all U.S. Soccer members" and "the creation of a new player-driven Participant Safety Taskforce to convene leaders in soccer at all levels across the country – from professional leagues to youth and grassroots clubs."

The Red Stars are preparing to start their NWSL postseason run after clinching the sixth and final seed with a 2-0 victory over Angel City on Sunday. They will face the San Diego Wave in the first round on Oct. 16.