On Wednesday morning, the Washington Spirit announced that head coach Richie Burke has been suspended pending an investigation in response to a Washington Post report alleging abusive behavior by Burke toward current and former players. A day earlier, the club said that Burke was being reassigned due to “health concerns,” but sources told The Athletic that he was removed from his position and not merely reassigned.
Four players interviewed for the Washington Post’s piece explained Burke’s pattern of emotional and verbal abuse, saying he regularly berated and threatened them. They also revealed a pattern of racially insensitive behavior, with former Spirit player Kaiya McCullough describing one incident in which Burke used the “n-word” at a team dinner.