Why U.S. Soccer says Gregg Berhalter remains a candidate for USMNT job after investigation
Former U.S. men's national team coach Gregg Berhalter remains a candidate to return to the job, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced Monday, even after an independent investigation confirmed that Berhalter pushed to the ground and kicked his then-girlfriend, now wife, Rosalind Berhalter twice in January 1992.
U.S. Soccer released a statement on Monday to report the investigation's completion. Led by Jenny Kramer, BJay Pak and Chris Marquardt of law firm Alston & Bird, it confirmed Berhalter physically assaulted Rosalind (née Santana) outside of a bar in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, after Rosalind punched Gregg in the face. The couple were freshmen on the University of North Carolina men's and women's soccer teams.
"The Sporting Director will lead the process of determining who will serve as head coach of the Men’s National Team," the statement read. "Given the investigators’ conclusion that there is no legal impediment to employing him, Gregg Berhalter remains a candidate to serve as head coach of the Men’s National Team."
The full investigation report can be found here.
Berhlater's contract as USMNT coach expired on Dec. 31, 2022, less than a month after the USMNT was eliminated from the World Cup. The 49-year-old had been the coach since December 2018. The USSF hired consulting firm Sportsology in January to assist in finding a replacement for Earnie Stewart as sporting director.
Here's what to know about the completed investigation concerning Berhalter:
Investigation findings on Berhalter
Th investigation "revealed the absence of any evidence" that Berhalter engaged in similar acts to the 1992 incident, concluding it "was an isolated event."
Alston & Bird also concluded that, given the lack of information or evidence conflicting with witnesses' testimonies and that the incident occurred 31 years ago without similar occurrences, "there is no basis to conclude that employing Mr. Berhalter would create legal risks for an organization."
Investigation findings on Reyna family
In the executive summary of the Alston & Bird report, Danielle Reyna, mother of USMNT and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Gio Reyna, told Stewart in a Dec. 11 phone call that Gregg "beat the s--- out of" Rosalind, who was Reyna's roommate at UNC.
Claudio Reyna, a former prep school and USMNT teammate of Gregg Berhalter, was present with Danielle on that hour-long phone call, after sending a series of text messages to Stewart regarding media coverage of Gio, which stemmed from Berhalter's critical comments on Dec. 6 about an unnamed player and Danielle confirmed in a public statement on Jan. 4.
The summary also stated that Reyna "voiced periodic complaints to U.S. Soccer officials and staff beginning in or around 2016 through the 2022 World Cup." His complaints directly to Stewart began in November 2019, during the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, which Gio played in.
Were any laws or ethics codes violated?
No criminal laws, FIFA Code of Ethics, SafeSport rules or U.S. Soccer policies were broken or violated, according to Alston & Bird's 36-page report.
With that being said, the investigation concluded that Claudio Reyna's communication with U.S. Soccer may have implicated one or more FIFA Code of Ethics rules and regulations: general duties, conflicts of interests, protection of physical and mental integrity, and abuse of position.
"Mr. Reyna may have used his status as arguably one of the best soccer players in the United States, while also serving in a position that constitutes an 'official,' as that term is defined under the FIFA Code of Ethics, to attempt to influence decisions by U.S. Soccer officials and staff concerning his children."
For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee, contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake. Connect with Drake on Instagram at @drakehillssoccer and on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: U.S. Soccer says Gregg Berhalter remains USMNT coach candidate
