Frightened parents expose several incidents of coach grooming in grassroots football

Grassroot football parents are living in fear of retribution after exposing more shocking allegations of coach abuse as Lisa De Vanna finds a powerful ally in her fight.

Whistleblowers are following Lisa De Vanna’s lead.

A deluge of players, parents and members of the football community from grassroots through to the elite level have expressed serious concerns about the toxic culture within women’s football.

Following Matildas legend Lisa De Vanna’s shocking allegations of indecent assault, sexual harassment, harassment, bullying and grooming during her stella career with the Matildas, News Corp Australia has been inundated with more allegations at every level of the game.

The majority of people contacting NCA will only speak on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.

Some parents have revealed their teenage daughters had been subject to bullying and grooming at the top grade levels.

Whistleblowers are following Lisa De Vanna’s lead.

Allegations include:

• One parent spoke of a male coach 20 years older than her teenage daughter, promising a place on the starting line-up if she agreed to his sexual advances;

• Another spoke of a female senior player sending his high-school aged daughter nude videos of herself;

• Players being bullied out of teams after announcing their intention to report unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances to club presidents.

One parent told News Corp: "It’s a predatory environment that parents feel that can’t speak up about without fear of retribution.

“So far, four or five elite players have come out about the toxic culture but it is also happening at grassroots.”

As the fallout of News Corp’s special investigation continues, Australian of the Year Grace Tame reached out to Matilda’s legend Lisa De Vanna for her courage to call out the toxic culture within women’s football

I fully support Lisa and her brave decision to speak about her horrifying experiences. The toxic cultures of abuse, bullying, coercion and grooming are everywhere. It’s awful. With every story we move forward in the direction of accountability, safety, equity and respect ✊🏼

— Grace Tame (@TamePunk) October 11, 2021

Tame went public to tweet: “ Thank you for your voice and bravery, Lisa. Sending you support, love and respect”.

The 2021 Australian of the Year has become powerful advocate and activist for fellow sexual assault survivors, helping them find a voice against society’s imbalances of power.

De Vanna’s allegations have sparked a national discussion about sexual harassment in sport and joins a chorus of international incidents involving women’s football in the US, Finland and other countries.

The FA has already agreed to hand over the entire investigation to Sport Integrity Australia after De Vanna and other elite players broke the code of silence.

So confronting is the alleged culture that a former Matildas player, in an ABC interview on Sunday, provided further disturbing insights into football’s toxic culture claiming it was a “vulnerable environment for minors”.

Grassroots football has been rocked by shocking allegations. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The former player, speaking on the condition of anonymity said her overall experience during her career was positive and that she never suffered any sexual harassment.

When asked if she had been groomed by either a coach or a player the ex-Matildas said: “When you think about grooming, it’s talking about minors,” she said.

“So, you know, under the age of 18 or whatever age it is, you’re putting minors in an adult environment.

“So the thing with players is that the age is irrelevant in terms of when you’re out in that field with your teammates.

“You’re expected to be in this bubble with these people, you’re expected to trust them in a high pressure environment.

“So when you think about it, if there is a minor in the adult environment, then I could understand if players are interacting and what might come of that?

“I mean, the answer for that is don’t have minors in the environment. As I said myself, I didn’t experience that, you know, everyone got along.

“You’re expected to get along and you’re expected to live with each other.

“What was concerning was I did see it from a coach and player perspective with somebody else.

“You know, that’s concerning when the coaches are, you know, doing that.

“But certainly as a player, I just say, you know, don’t have minors in that environment because it is an intense environment when you’re expecting everybody to interact together very closely.

“So yes, it’s a vulnerable environment for minors.”

Football Australia responded swiftly to De Vanna’s interview with News Corp, in which another player, Rhali Dobson, also claims she has been a target of predatory behaviour, by urging them and others to make formal complaints.

They also are now working with Sport Integrity Australia so the latter can “receive, assess, and manage” all complaints independently of FA.

SIA chief executive David Sharpe said the process would ensure “nothing can be swept under the carpet”.

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Originally published as Frightened parents expose several incidents of coach grooming in grassroots football