National Women's Soccer League faces lawsuit as former employee alleges sexual assault

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Five former employees of the pro women's soccer team San Diego Wave have filed a lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court against the team and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) as a whole. 

One of the five plaintiffs said in court documents that she was sexually assaulted by a co-worker but did not report the allegation to the club or police at the time.

The other plaintiffs accuse the women’s soccer club of discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination, among other allegations. The suit claims both the team and the league failed to act on complaints about a toxic workplace culture. The lawsuit also claimed the NWSL investigated complaints against the Wave twice but ultimately nothing was done.

The woman who alleged sexual assault, identified in the lawsuit under the false name Jane Doe, said she did not report the allegations out of fear of retaliation and the potential loss of her job. She claims she told her manager that another employee was traumatizing her and expressed concerns about the work environment at the club, as well as knowledge of an investigation.

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NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird during a game between Portland Thorns FC and North Carolina Courage at Zions Bank Stadium on July 17, 2020 in Herriman, Utah. (Photo by Bryan Byerly/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

"Horrifyingly, defendant NWSL told plaintiff Doe during the investigative read out that defendant Wave had not been on notice of her sexual assault because she used the word 'assault' instead of the phrase 'sexual assault' when reporting the incidents. Defendant NWSL's own policy does not use the term 'assault.' Rather, it uses the vague term 'misconduct.' There is no reason to require a sexual assault survivor to use magic language when reporting," the court documents read.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits and for emotional distress, as well as punitive damages. 

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"The safety, health, and well-being of everyone associated with our league is our highest priority," the National Women's Soccer League said in a statement. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The league responded in a statement on Wednesday. 

"The safety, health, and well-being of everyone associated with our league is our highest priority. We take serious any and every report of potential misconduct, hire qualified independent investigators to review those allegations thoroughly, and act when allegations are supported by the facts uncovered. We will not comment specifically about an active legal matter," the NWSL said.

The Wave sent The Associated Press a statement on Wednesday regarding the employees’ complaint. 

"This lawsuit concerns allegations initially raised on July 3, 2024. As this matter is an ongoing legal proceeding, we are unable to comment further at this time," the team said.

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The lawsuit does not name Wave President Jill Ellis as a defendant. Ellis filed a defamation lawsuit against Alvarado in July that called the accusations in the social media post both false and "personally damaging."

Alvarado alleged in a lengthy post on X that the workplace was discriminatory and said it took a toll on her mental health.

Ellis, who coached the U.S. national team to World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, responded at the time by saying that mental health concerns are a priority for the club, and it has support measures, including an employee assistance program. She added that when allegations of mistreatment have occurred, the team investigated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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