Chicago Red Stars fires general manager after being told NWSL suspended coach Craig Harrington works at a youth soccer club affiliated with the team
- Craig Harrington worked at Chicago Empire FC, a youth team affiliated with the NWSL club associated with now fired Red Stars GM Michelle Lomnicki
- Harrington was suspended for two years following an investigation into league-wide misconduct
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The Chicago Red Stars have fired their newly appointed general manager Michelle Lomnicki after learning that a suspended NWSL coach works for a youth club affiliated with the team.
Lomnicki was tied to Chicago Empire FC, a youth club of the Red Stars, until 2021. According to The Athletic, former Utah Royals coach Craig Harrington is still working in his coaching role for that youth team.
Harrington has been suspended from coaching in the NWSL for two years following a report that found “widespread misconduct in the league.”
A statement from the Red Stars said: “Yesterday, the Chicago Red Stars Board of Directors terminated Michelle Lomnicki’s employment effective immediately after learning that there had been an error of judgment in failing to share material information with club management.”
The statement added: “The board has determined that it is in the best interests of the players, staff and organization to part ways at this time.”
The Chicago Red Stars fired their general manager over her ties to a youth soccer club affiliated with the team that hired suspended NWSL coach Craig Harrington (see above)
Harrington has been suspended for two years for ‘[blurring] professional boundaries with players
According to The Athletic, a source within the Red Stars said the team was unaware of Harrington’s role at Chicago Empire FC until they were approached by the league’s legal team.
Lomnicki was hired as general manager of the Red Stars in January. She was listed as a technical and performance advisor for the youth club until the beginning of May, but in a statement to The Athletic, she says she has ‘suspended all youth contracts or club coaching from January 2023, when I was hired as the (Red Stars’) general manager. ‘
She added, “My role as a performance consultant at Chicago Empire involved being a reference to girls at the club when they were dealing with things like competitive anxiety or college recruiting. I had no role whatsoever in the club’s recruitment decisions.’
The NWSL’s misconduct report says Harrington “blurred professional boundaries with players,” including two reports of players saying “while he was drunk [Harrington made] comments about cheating on his wife and made remarks about the behavior of players.’
Harrington denies these reports, but the reporting team “did not find his denials credible when compared to the accounts of several other witnesses.”
The coach received a two-year suspension on January 9 of this year, and at the end of January, Harrington was rehired by Chicago Empire FC and appeared on their website.
A statement to The Athletic from Empire FC’s director of operations Matt Tunis said the club had ‘hired Craig Harrington as an independent contractor’ at the end of January. The club performed “risk management diligence” by conducting a background check through the National Center for Safety Initiatives, which was “clean.”
They also obtained “certification from his American Center for SafeSport Training” and “confirmed that Mr. Harrington’s licenses were in good standing with the American Football Federation.” He was cleared to coach by both the Illinois Youth Soccer Association and the Illinois Women’s Soccer League.
US Soccer said Harrington was placed on their risk management list after suspension
Tunis goes on to say, “On April 25, the Illinois Youth Soccer Association notified the club that Mr. Harrington’s membership had been suspended.
“The club immediately relieved Mr Harrington of his duties, terminated his contract and removed his details from the club website.
“At no time since February has Mr. Harrington been listed on the SafeSport or US Soccer risk management list of ineligible, suspended or disciplined persons.”
However, US Soccer confirmed to The Athletic that “coaches approved by the NWSL on January 9, including Harrington, have been added to the federation’s risk management list following that announcement.”