RTÉ Investigates: Girls in Green

This coming Sunday, RTÉ Investigates and the Sunday Independent will reveal the details of a joint investigation spanning two years, into widespread allegations of inappropriate behaviour made by women against Irish male soccer coaches. 

The groundbreaking investigation covered in a feature length TV documentary and extensive written articles this Sunday, has in the last number of weeks led to Gardaí opening an investigation into a former senior football coach following allegations from female footballers that he made unwanted sexual advances on players.

A separate complaint has also been made about a second senior coach.

Over two years in the making, the highly anticipated joint investigation features candid testimony from multiple former female players, former coaches and officials.

Some of those who spoke to the RTÉ Investigates / Sunday Independent joint investigation have never told anyone about their experiences until now.

Many of those who experienced unwanted sexual advances were shocked to discover that former teammates had shared similar experiences.

“I thought I was the only one,” a significant number of former players have told RTÉ Investigates and the Sunday Independent.

In one case a player said she was never selected again after she fled from her manager’s hotel room after he attempted to kiss her.

Another player outlined how she believed she was “exiled” by a coach from their team after she said she saw him behaving inappropriately with players.

In a change to scheduled programmes, RTÉ Investigates: Girls in Green will be broadcast this Sunday night in peak time on RTÉ One at 9.30pm, and available to stream worldwide on the RTÉ Player.

Extensive feature articles detailing the investigation will be published this weekend in the Sunday Independent, independent.ie and RTE.ie

Women’s soccer seems to keep making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

World Cup winners Spain had their finest hour mired in controversy, American soccer was turned upside down when a top coach was banned for life, and this year Brazil’s former head coach resigned after players complained against sexual harassment.

Ex-Irish Internationals told the RTÉ Investigates/Sunday Independent joint investigation they weren’t surprised by revelations of misogyny and abuse abroad.

They hinted at the same thing happening at home but had little faith that well-hidden secrets would ever see the light of day.

Journalist Mark Tighe of the?Sunday Independent?has written extensively about the FAI.

RTÉ Sport presenter and reporter Marie Crowe has spent 15 years in sports journalism including covering the Women’s national soccer team.

Both journalists were independently working on the same story in 2022 and then came together to research it in greater detail.

They have spoken to a significant number of former female players for this investigation.

Made by the award-winning RTÉ Investigations Unit, RTÉ Investigates: Girls in Green sees RTÉ Sport journalist Marie Crowe and Mark Tighe of the Sunday Independent join with RTÉ Investigates Producer/Director Frank Shouldice to reveal the backroom story of women’s soccer in Ireland.

RTÉ Investigates and the Sunday Independent joint investigation looks at whether the absence of proper safeguards actually promoted an unhealthy dynamic between coaches and players and examines what measures the FAI took to ensure a secure environment for talented young girls who wanted to play soccer.

The FAI recently announced it was introducing a new anonymous reporting mechanism to allow players and others to flag concerns and report inappropriate behaviour to Raiseaconcern, an independent complaint handling firm.

The Play It Right campaign – which is to be rolled out to clubs across the country – to promote good behaviour and promote a confidential independent helpline and website for anyone who wants to report a serious concern anonymously.

Four days before the announcement, reporters from RTÉ Investigates and the Sunday Independent contacted the FAI seeking an official response to concerns raised by the women about their treatment by coaches in the 1990s.

An FAI spokesperson said: “the Association was shocked and appalled to learn of disturbing allegations of abuse brought forward by women involved in Irish football in the 1990’s”.

The FAI “acknowledges the enormous courage of the women in coming forward and making their concerns known and would encourage anyone involved in Irish football to report any concern that may arise.”

Watch: RTÉ Investigates: Girls in Green, Sunday 9.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player