Major League Soccer has launched a assessment into the Portland Timbers‘ dealing with of the home violence allegations in opposition to midfielder Andy Polo, the league confirmed to ESPN in a press release Friday.
A report from The Athletic added that the Timbers did not notify MLS of final 12 months’s home violence name at Polo’s house, as is customary in a majority of these conditions. In Might, police had been known as to Polo’s residence in Oregon, and Timbers staff additionally responded and spoke to officers there.
When Polo’s ex-partner went public with allegations final week, Polo was suspended and then had his contract terminated by MLS and the Timbers.
“Following the allegations made final week in opposition to Andy Polo, Main League Soccer promptly launched a assessment into the selections that the Portland Timbers made in response to the costs introduced in opposition to the participant final Might,” the assertion learn. “The Timbers are dedicated to this assessment and have pledged their full cooperation.”
An MLS spokesperson added that the league has “engaged an out of doors legislation agency to conduct the assessment.”
The Timbers additionally launched this assertion: “The Portland Timbers welcome Main League Soccer’s assessment into the dealing with of the Might 2021 Andy Polo criticism and can cooperate totally.”
The allegations of bodily and emotional abuse had been made by Polo’s former accomplice, Génessis Alarcón, on a Peruvian tv present final week. Alarcón can also be the mom of his kids.
“He pulled my hair. I fell to the ground,” Alarcón mentioned. “He slapped me within the face and gave me a black eye.”
Alarcón additionally mentioned that Polo had did not pay baby help. An incident report from the Washington County Sheriff’s Division dated Might 23, 2021, revealed that Polo was “issued a quotation in lieu of arrest for harassment after grabbing onto Genesis Charlott Alacon Dorival’s wrist.”
The quotation is assessed as a Class B misdemeanor. Within the report, it mentioned {that a} pal of Alarcón’s known as police stating that her pal’s husband was hitting her. Two deputies arrived and individually started interviewing Polo and Alarcón. When the police arrived, the report says that Alarcón “gave the impression to be frantic, scared and pressured” and that the youngsters regarded frightened. The report provides that Alarcón mentioned that in an try to get a cellphone out of her hand, “Andy reached out and grabbed her proper wrist and scratched it. She confirmed me the underside of her proper wrist and I noticed what seemed to be a light-weight pink abrasion.”
The report goes on to element that two Timbers staff, Gabriel Jaimes, the crew’s head of gamers affairs, and Jim McCausland, the crew’s head of safety, later arrived on the residence. In response to the responding officer, “[McCausland] instructed me he would ensure that peace could be maintained inside the home,” the report mentioned. “He mentioned if he wanted to maneuver Andy or Genesis out of the house to take care of security and safety, he would care for it. He assured me no additional incidents would happen.”
It’s unclear whether or not McCausland and Jaimes knowledgeable their superiors concerning the scenario, however the league’s structure states that among the many violations of the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Well being coverage, or SABH, is “home violence.” It’s not clear what the edge is for groups to report such violations to the league.
The Polo allegations and investigation observe one other abuse scandal throughout the identical membership on the ladies’s facet with the Portland Thorns. In September, two former Thorns gamers publicly accused former coach Paul Riley of coercing a participant into having intercourse with him and sending lewd pictures to a different, together with verbal abuse, anti-gay feedback and different inappropriate habits.
One of many gamers, Mana Shim, had reported Riley’s habits to the Timbers entrance workplace in 2015. Riley quietly left the membership and was shortly rehired by one other crew within the National Women’s Soccer League, prompting backlash and protests from fans who say the membership ought to’ve carried out extra to guard gamers.
The Timbers vowed an unbiased investigation of their dealing with of Shim’s criticism but closed it without interviewing any players so different investigations may take priority. An investigation commissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation is being led by Sally Yates, a former appearing U.S. legal professional basic, whereas the NWSL Gamers Affiliation is main one other with the league. Each are ongoing.
