THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND WOMEN'S TEAM MANAGER Vera Pauw has been sanctioned by the The US National Women's Soccer League as part corrective action in response to the findings of the Joint Investigative Report.
Last year Pauw was named in the report. It was alleged that while manager of Houston Dash from November 2017 to September 2018 that she shamed players for their weight and attempted to exert excessive control over their eating habits.
Pauw denied this and said: "To suggest I would body shame any human being, footballer or not, is an insult to my personal values and to my behaviour as coach and I cannot allow this claim to go unchallenged," she said at the time.
"I will continue to defend myself against all these claims. I have spent my entire career fighting for my players and now I must fight for myself. I am extremely frustrated that I have been targeted in such a disappointing manner. I cannot allow my name to be attached to such false accusations."
The FAI also said at the time: "The Football Association of Ireland is aware of an NWSL/NWSLPA joint report into historical events within its own League in which Republic of Ireland Women's National Team Manager Vera Pauw has been referenced."
🗣 'Excuse me? Has that also been [said]?'
🗣 'I am absolutely flabbergasted, I don't know how to react!'
Vera Pauw was shocked by the specifics of some of the allegations that have been put against her following the US NWSL report | ⚽️
🎙 @nathanmurf pic.twitter.com/g36BcuW9SD— Off The Ball (@offtheball) December 17, 2022
"Neither the FAI or Vera had sight of this report before it was published and we note that Vera has already expressed her views to the authors of the report."
"The FAI continues to support Vera and her team as they prepare for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023."
Today it has been announced that Pauw is among eight individuals whose future employment with the NWSL is conditional. The NWSL have also handed lifetime bans to four former coaches in the league.
To work in the US again, Pauw must satisfy the NWSL commissioner on a number of conditions.
Jessica Berman, the league’s commissioner, said in a statement that the “corrective action” announced on Monday was “appropriate and necessary.”
“The league will continue to prioritise implementing and enhancing the policies, programs and systems that put the health and safety of our players first,” Berman said. “These changes will require leadership, accountability, funding and a willingness to embrace this new way of conducting business.”
