Megan Rapinoe has accused Farid Benstiti, the former OL Reign coach, of making fat-shaming comments to players before being asked to resign last season
Last July, the coach was forced to resign, but little information about why was released. In October, the Washington Post reported that Benstiti had been charged with verbal abuse, alleging that he “supposedly made inappropriate comments to players on their fitness and nutrition.”
Megan Rapinoe Reveals Ex-OL Reign Coach Farid Benstiti Used To Fat Shame Players
Rapinoe confirmed the charges in a recent interview, calling it an example of “abuse the players have put up with over the years” in women’s soccer.
What did Rapinoe state?
Rapinoe stated, “He made some — it was basically like a fat-shaming insult.” He was saying that he was going to take people’s food away. ‘Oh, my God, grow up,’ I exclaim. You just got fired; you’re such a moron.'”
“You’ve recently graduated from college. You’re not going to say anything, for example. It’s impossible to put someone in that situation.”
The bigger picture
Rapinoe mentioned the NWSL’s lack of autonomy for players, but the league has undergone significant improvements in the last year as coach abuses became public. The coaching changes haven’t slowed down either: amid an investigation, the Houston Dash suspended head coach and general manager James Clarkson.
Benstiti had resigned from his job at the time of his departure last July, according to the club. Benstiti, however, was one of many NWSL coaches who were the target of “a formal accusation of verbal abuse made by a player,” according to a later report by Molly-Hensley Clancy of The Washington Post.
Lindsey Horan, a former USWNT player who played for Benstiti at Paris Saint-Germain from 2012 to 2016, has previously spoken out about being ridiculed by the coach because of her weight. Horan said it’s “very hard” to wake up to the news after “having a personal experience” following the allegations of abuse against former Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames.
Following Benstit’s departure, the OL Reign welcomed back Laura Harvey, the NWSL’s Coach of the Year for 2021.
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