Members of the U.S. Women’s National Team are not happy after a lawsuit filed by U.S. Soccer against their union was released to the public with their personal information was released to the public without their personal information redacted. Player’s home addresses and email addresses were left uncensored in the 217 page document.
Veteran midfielder Megan Rapinoe expressed her frustration to the New York Times:
“Naturally, we’re upset,” midfielder Megan Rapinoe said on Thursday. “The players are very, very upset. We feel disrespected. We feel that our personal information, our privacy and our safety was handled frivolously and with real negligence. I doubt it was purposeful, but it’s an egregious error, and one that’s unacceptable.
“We’re public figures. There have been issues of privacy and hacking and stalkers — it’s very unsettling. We’re upset. To know that someone could show up at your door? That’s extremely unsettling, and it’s something that you can’t get back.”
The lawsuit concerns the collective bargaining agreement between the players and U.S. Soccer. U.S. Soccer claims that the CBA, which, according to the Times, expired in 2012, remains valid. The players have expressed dissatisfaction with playing on artificial turf and also hope to receive greater pay in a new CBA.
But the suit also included an exhibit listing personal information for all 28 members of the USWNT, including stars Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd and Hope Solo.
From the Times:
Ordinarily, that type of information would be redacted, especially in the case of prominent public figures like professional athletes. U.S. Soccer said the disclosure was a clerical mistake.
“It was unintentional on the part of U.S. Soccer’s counsel, and a redacted version of the complaint has already been filed,” the federation said in a statement. And, in fact, by Thursday afternoon, the redacted version — removing the players’ personal details — had replaced the original on the court’s website.
As promised, the lawsuit has since been redacted, according to Sports Illustrated, but Rapinoe is not satisfied, telling the Times, “We understand mistakes happen,” Rapinoe said, “but this is one that can’t happen.”
U.S. Soccer faces a public relations deficit from the start by going after newly minted American heroes, fresh off a World Cup title, who simply want a little pay raise and better playing conditions. This kind of potentially dangerous slip-up certainly doesn’t help things. Not a good look, U.S. Soccer.
[New York Times/Sports Illustrated]
