MLS team's sexual harassment probe reveals 'unacceptable behavior'

The MLS membership launched the probe after allegations of sexual harassment made towards ex-Barcelona standout Villa and different employees members by a former membership intern.

NYC launched a press release Friday saying solely one of many accused stays with the crew and has been disciplined however didn’t go into any particulars. Villa is not related to the crew and was not named within the crew’s assertion.

“The allegations made through the course of the investigation had been that a small variety of gamers and employees didn’t act in accordance with the membership’s requirements of their interactions with the intern and with different membership employees,” the assertion mentioned.

“This conduct included pointless bodily contact, teasing, and feedback relating to clothes and look. The membership discovered that this conduct was inappropriate and unacceptable.”

Villa, who’s retired, denied the cost when the story first appeared in July and once more via a spokesman on Friday.

“David has taken this difficulty very critically and absolutely cooperated with the investigation. However as he has mentioned from the start, these accusations are utterly false,” mentioned the spokesman.

In feedback on Twitter in July, the girl recognized solely as “Skyler B” mentioned she was repeatedly harassed by Villa.

“I hardly ever went a day with out him grabbing me or verbally harassing me,” she wrote, saying supervisors on the membership thought it was “nice comedic materials.”

“Ladies courageous sufficient to inform their tales this loudly are my heroes,” she added.

Villa left New York Metropolis in 2018 to play one season in Japan and retired in 2019.

The 38-year-old Villa performed for NYC from 2015-18 after starring in Spain for Barcelona and different golf equipment.

He performed on Spain’s 2010 World Cup champion crew and scored a Spanish-record 59 objectives in 98 worldwide appearances from 2005-17.

Villa is the primary Spanish participant to succeed in 50 worldwide objectives and is Spain’s all-time high objective scorer within the World Cup with 9 objectives.

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