After only one week on the job, Bay FC head of domestic scouting, Graham Abelhas, resigned due to claims of verbal abuse during his time as coach at the University of Oregon.
From 2015 until 2019, Abel served as the U.S. women’s national team’s assistant coach under former coach Jill Ellis. From 2019 to the previous year, he served as coach at Oregon. After the Ducks finished 1-8-2 in the Big Ten and 5-11-2 overall, he resigned in October.
The Oregonian reported in April of last year that over a dozen former athletes had accused Abel of verbally abusing them. Harsh language and threats regarding playing time and scholarships were among the reported abuses. He refuted the allegations.
In a statement issued by Bay FC on Wednesday, Abel stated, “I was looking forward to helping to make an impact and bring in even more talent to this already incredibly skilled club.” Bay FC is revolutionizing women’s sports. But since joining the squad has turned into a distraction that is unfair to the players and team, I have decided to step down. Playing their favorite game and vying for a championship should be the team’s top priorities.
As part of a new worldwide scouting department for the National Women’s Soccer League team, Bay FC confirmed Abel’s employment last week.
We will keep searching hard for the greatest players on and off the field as we develop a global sports franchise, always putting our players and team culture first, Sporting Director Matt Potter said in a statement. We value Graeme’s readiness to step aside so that we may concentrate on football.
— AP Soccer Writer Anne M. Peterson
