A Syracuse University alumna says she was abused by her National Women’s Soccer League coach in a report released Monday.
Erin Simon, a New Jersey native who played on the SU women’s soccer team from 2012 to 2015, was named in former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates’ investigation, commissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation, that focused on three former NWSL coaches, including Christy Holly of Racing Louisville. Simon told investigators that Holly sexually abused her before she joined Racing Louisville in 2020 and continued the abuse while she was on the team coached by Holly.
According to WLKY, Holly allegedly sent nude photos of himself and requested Simon do the same. He also invited her to his house to watch game film, but instead showed her pornography, groped her, and propositioned her for a threesome with another former player. Simon said she tried to leave, but Holly then began “masturbating in front of her and forced her to touch his penis.”
The 172-page investigative report said Holly continued to abuse Simon in April 2021, allegedly telling her that for every pass she made a mistake on, he was going to touch her. Simon said Holly “pushed his hands down her pants and up her shirt”; she said she tried pushing him away and laughed to avoid angering him, but “broke down crying” later when she got a ride home from a teammate.
Simon, who now plays soccer in Europe with Leicester City, confided in a team chaplain, who convinced her to report Holly’s conduct in July 2021. He was fired “for cause,” but Racing Louisville did not elaborate; no criminal charges have been filed.
The Courier Journal reports Holly was also asked to resign in 2016 from the team now known as NJ/NY Gotham FC. General Manager Tony Novo cited “repeated and ongoing complaints by players regarding Holly’s verbal and emotional abuse.”
According to WKLY, Simon said she agreed to have her name published in the investigation’s report because too many athletes don’t come forward out of fear.
“I know because that is how I felt,” said Simon, 28, in a statement. “Through many difficult days, my faith alone sustained me and kept me going. I want to do everything in my power to ensure that no other player must experience what I did. This report allows our voices to finally be heard and is the first step toward achieving the respectful workplace we all deserve.”
According to the Associated Press, the independent investigation was launched after former NWSL players accused former coach Paul Riley of harassment and sexual coercion dating back a decade. Riley was quickly fired as head coach of the North Carolina Courage and then-NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird stepped down.
Yates’ report said investigators found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players. Five of the 10 head coaches in the NWSL last season either were fired or stepped down amid allegations of misconduct.
“We greatly appreciate our players, staff and stakeholders’ cooperation with both investigations,” said current NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “Establishing trust and confidence between the League, its players, and other key stakeholders remains a central focus for the NWSL, and we know that we must learn from and take responsibility for the painful lessons of the past in order to move the League into a better future. The findings and recommendations from both reports will be critical to informing and implementing systemic reform and ensuring that the NWSL is a league where players are supported, on and off the pitch, with safe and professional environments to train and compete.”