By Lesley Ryder
Bay FC announced new signings to their football operations team on Thursday afternoon. The new hires have sparked controversy with the inclusion of Graeme Abel as Head of Domestic Scouting. This controversy comes just weeks after the Attorneys General of NY, IL, and DC reached a settlement with the NWSL over the negligent hiring practices leading to the 2021 scandals that brought the league to a halt.
Abel was accused of emotional and verbal abuse during his time as women’s soccer head coach of at the University of Oregon. He was cleared of wrongdoing by the university, and later resigned of his own volition at the end of the 2024 season.
Bay FC’s new head of global scouting, Mirelle Van Rijbroek, praised Abel in a team press release. “Graeme brings a wealth of experience and expertise from his work at multiple World Cups and a deep understanding of the international game. With a long-standing dedication to the women’s game across various roles, his extensive knowledge and passion elevate our scouting and recruitment efforts, ensuring we continue to identify and attract top talent.”
“At Bay FC, we are committed to fostering a positive and professional environment for our players, staff, and community,” the club said in a statement to Gal Pal Sports “We are pleased to welcome Graeme Abel to our scouting staff. He brings a wealth of experience and, as with all hires, Graeme went through an extensive vetting process that included interviews and background checks through NWSL and other organizations.”
The NWSL hiring policy, obtained by Gal Pal Sports lays out the differences in the Tier I and Tier II personnel hiring process. As Tier II personnel, Abel passed a criminal background check, a sex offender search, a SafeSport database search, and a civil litigation search. A source familiar with the hiring process clarified that Bay FC went beyond the the standard process, reaching out to Abel’s former employers at the University of Oregon.
A report by The Oregonian last April alleged emotional distress and harsh treatment dating back to his first full season in 2021. The report interviewed 12 players who left the program by transfer and graduation, who described an abusive environment with “unusually personal verbal attacks. That included, they say, throwing objects, harsh language, and threats to kick them off the team or revoke their scholarship.”
Abel denied the allegations, saying in a written statement to The Oregonian “At no point have I used threatening statements or financial repercussions as a part of coaching. I am a believer in the rewarding of individuals and not the punishment of revoking. We have respect for our student-athletes’ backgrounds, their family environment, their past experiences, and how we can help shape their future based on their time at Oregon.”
The University of Oregon responded to The Oregonian’s report, saying in a statement “a postseason review of the soccer program following player complaints found no evidence of verbal abuse from Abel or issues that warranted additional action from the university.”
When Abel resigned at the end of the 2024 season, University of Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a press release "We want to thank Graeme for all of his efforts with the Oregon soccer program. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Prior to Abel’s employment at the University of Oregon, he served as goalkeeper coach of the USWNT from 2015 to 2019 under head coach Jill Ellis.