Bay FC’s head of domestic scouting, Graeme Abel, has stepped down from his position shortly after taking up the role, amid allegations of verbal abuse during his tenure as the head coach at the University of Oregon. Abel served as an assistant coach for the U.S. women’s national team under former coach Jill Ellis from 2015 to 2019 and led the Oregon team from 2019 until his resignation last year. His departure from the university came following a disappointing season with an overall record of 5-11-2 and a 1-8-2 standing in the Big Ten.
Earlier this year, detailed reports emerged in a local newspaper regarding claims by over a dozen former players of Abel engaging in verbal abuse. These allegations included accusations of harsh language and threatening players about their playing time and scholarship status. Abel has continuously denied these accusations.
In a public statement released on Wednesday by Bay FC, Abel expressed his regret over the situation. “Bay FC is committed to revolutionizing women’s sports, and I was eager to contribute to this vision by attracting more talent to this highly skilled club,” Abel remarked. “Nevertheless, my association with the club has begun to create distractions, which is unfair to the team and its players. Thus, I have made the tough decision to resign to allow them to focus on their main priority: playing soccer and striving for championships.”
The announcement of Abel’s appointment was initially made last week as Bay FC looked to expand with a new global scouting department within the National Women’s Soccer League. In response to Abel’s decision to step down, Sporting Director Matt Potter expressed the club’s continued dedication to building a premier sports franchise. “As we endeavor to create a world-class sports organization, we remain committed to seeking the finest talent both on the field and behind the scenes, with a steadfast focus on our players and team culture,” Potter said in a statement. “We appreciate Graeme’s decision to step aside, allowing us to concentrate on football.”
