NWSL expels Orlando Pride's Amanda Cromwell and Sam Greene following investigation

The NWSL has terminated the contracts of Orlando Pride head coach Amanda Cromwell and first assistant coach Sam Greene following the results of the NWSL and NWSL Players Association’s joint investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct. 

The reports confirm both Cromwell and Greene engaged in retaliatory behavior against Pride players they believed had backed misconduct allegations against them. The coaches were initially placed on temporary administrative leave in June, at the recommendation of the joint investigation before being removed completely. 

“Specifically, Cromwell and Greene were found to have engaged in conduct that discouraged reporting and fostered a general fear of retaliation, and to have taken negative actions against certain players, including by seeking to waive or trade them,” the NWSL said in a statement.

Cromwell and Greene will not be permitted to work in the league in any capacity moving forward, unless they are approved for reinstatement by the Commissioner. To do so, the two must participate in mandatory training covering retaliation, discrimination, harassment and bullying, and an additional mandatory course in executive coaching. 

The pair must acknowledge their wrongdoing and demonstrate a sincere commitment to correcting their behavior.

“As we continue to build a league as elite as the players on the pitch, it is critically important that we foster a culture where individuals can safely come forward with concerns without fear of reprisal,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said. 

“These retaliation concerns were identified during the NWSL/NWSLPA Joint Investigation and interim measures were put in place due to the ongoing nature of the misconduct.”

The two first came under investigation in March 2022, based on allegations of verbal abuse and improper favoritism toward certain players. An initial investigation substantiated certain claims, giving way for the suspension and full fledged report. 

The coaches then claimed in June that they had been subject to various forms of misconduct, but a third-party investigation proved their complaints to be baseless. Cromwell has since called the league’s investigation 'biased and incomplete', adding she would explore legal options in a statement of her own Monday night.