Washington has hired outside attorneys to conduct a thorough investigation of the allegations, according to a statement released by the NFL, and the league may take action based on the findings of that investigation.
“These matters as reported are serious, disturbing and contrary to the NFL’s values,” the league’s statement read. “Everyone in the NFL has the right to work in an environment free from any and all forms of harassment.”
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The Association for Women in Sports Media also released a statement urging the Washington team to “allow past and present employees to participate in a third-party investigation without fear of reprisals.” Former Washington staffer Emily Applegate, The Athletic’s Rhiannon Walker and The Ringer’s Nora Princiotti spoke to The Post on the record, but 14 other women spoke anonymously out of fear the organization could take legal action after some of them signed nondisclosure agreements.
“AWSM salutes the 15 brave women and numerous other sources who spoke with the Washington Post about sexual and verbal harassment they endured while working for the Washington NFL team,” the statement read. “We are especially proud of two AWSM members who spoke on the record about their experiences.
“The Post’s outstanding journalism highlights how far we have to go in order to provide equality for women working in sports media.”
For many women working in sports, reading about these experiences was both painful and familiar. The story brought on an outpouring of justifiable anger, frustration, sadness and support for those in the industry who have been forced to deal with harassment in the workplace.
