The San Diego Wave called accusations made by a former employee on social media “inaccurate and defamatory” in a statement on Wednesday.
Brittany Alvarado, who says she is a former video and creative manager for the team, called on the NWSL to remove the team’s president, Jill Ellis, who is also a former coach of the US women’s national team.
Alvarado cited a poor work environment that was discriminatory and took a toll on her mental health in a lengthy post on X.
“Ellis’s actions have been life-altering,” wrote Alvarado in the post. “She prioritizes personal gain over employee well-being, fostering an environment that enables abusive behavior.”
Two other former Wave employees have made similar claims to Alvarado since she made the post.
The Wave responded with a statement that said the team “has been made aware of a recent social media post by a former employee that contains inaccurate and defamatory statements about the club.”
The Wave went on to say they are looking into possible legal avenues available to address the matter.
I am disappointed to hear about the allegations made by multiple former Wave FC employees today.
As players, we have worked hard to build a team that is surrounded by an inclusive, positive and safe environment.
But it’s important to me that we are creating that environment for…
— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) July 4, 2024
Wave forward Alex Morgan, who won two World Cups alongside Ellis with the USWNT, also put out a statement on social media on Wednesday night that said she was disappointed by the reports.
“As players, we have worked hard to build a team that is surrounded by an inclusive, positive and safe environment,” Morgan said in the post. “But it’s important to me that we are creating that environment for both players AND staff throughout the entire organization. Equity in the workplace is something I have and will continue to advocate for.”
She added that she was proud of what the Wave had built but that there was more work to be done.
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The Wave played their first NWSL season in 2022, and finished top of the regular season standings in 2023 before losing to OL Reign in the playoffs. This season they are ninth in the standings but are second in average home attendance, drawing in just over 19,000 fans a game.
