If you’ve been keeping up with the NWSL recently, then you may know that Washington Spirit announced their head coach, Richie Burke, is resigning from his current role due to “health concerns.” However, an article from The Washington Post reveals that Burke actually mistreated players. Former player Kaiya McCullough spoke out about her harsh experiences with Burke on and off the field. While on the field, Burke verbally abused McCullough and the other players. Off the field, Burke allegedly made racially insensitive jokes and comments. Due to this behavior, the NWSL and the Washington Spirit have launched an investigation into the allegations made against Burke.
Tziarra King’s Response
When OL Reign’s Tziarra King got wind of this, she did not hesitate to speak up against mistreated players. She first showed support of McCullough by quoting one of her tweets about the situation saying, “So proud of you. You have my support. Continuing to make this sport and this world a better place.” However, she had more to say about the mistreatment of players in the league.
The people in this league are demanding the level of respect we deserve. We really deserve better as players and people. I hope everyone understands that. Ain’t nobody got time for bs.
— Tziarra King (@tziarra) August 13, 2021
I for one, agree with King. We expect to see better treatment of players. Yes, they are athletes but they are also people deserving of respect. As this continues to unfold, I can’t help but wonder if Burke will be held responsible for his actions or if this will be another moment in sports history where unacceptable behavior is ignored. This tweet came right before OL Reign’s match against Kansas City Saturday night where, unfortunately, OL Reign was defeated. This sadly ends their three-game streak, however, I will still be watching King on and off the field, who, only a few weeks ago, earned the title of Budweiser’s player of the week.
While this story unfolds, don’t forget to check out other NWSL articles on Beyond Women’s Sports.
