NFL Takes Over Sexual Misconduct Investigation Of Washington Football Team
The NFL is taking over the investigation into allegations of sexual harassment within the organization of the Washington Football Team.
Attorney Beth Wilkinson was hired by Washington in July to investigate claims of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct. Instead of reporting to team owner Daniel Snyder, Wilkinson will now reveal her findings to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL Network first reported Monday.
Snyder has supported the decision, even saying in a statement that the idea came from him and his wife, Tanya Snyder.
“Recently, The Washington Football Team launched an independent third-party investigation into allegations about our culture and incidents of harassment,” Daniel Snyder said in a statement. “In conversations with Commissioner Goodell, Tanya and I suggested that the NFL assume full oversight of the investigation so that the results are thorough, complete and trusted by the fans, the players, our employees and the public."
When 15 former female employees and two journalists made claims of sexual harassment and verbal abuse against team staffers, Snyder was not directly implicated in the allegations. Last week, however, the owner was accused of inappropriate conduct involving the team’s cheerleaders, The Washington Post reported.
A former team employee said he was told to make a video for Snyder featuring clips of partially nude cheerleaders from a 2008 swimsuit calendar shoot. One former cheerleader claims Snyder invited her to go to a hotel room with his friend so “they could get to know each other.”
Snyder has denied both allegations. Lawyers representing a dozen former team employees have asked the NFL to take “immediate action” against Snyder.
Days before the first allegations against the organization were reported, Washington announced that it would be changing its name from the Redskins.
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