Utah Royals FC head coach Craig Harrington, assistant placed on leave of absence, players say ‘We’ve had enough’ in statement

The majority of the Utah Royals team kneels during the national anthem prior to kickoff against the OL Reign before a 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup game at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY — The turmoil within the Real Salt Lake organization is continuing.

Utah Royals FC head coach Craig Harrington and assistant coach Louis Lancaster have been placed on leave of absence, the team said Sunday.

At the beginning of URFC’s Sunday game against Portland Thorns FC, television announcers said assistant coach Amy LePeilbet would become interim head coach, leading to confusion as to Harrington’s status.

The club provided a statement a short time later that read, “Utah Royals FC Head Coach Craig Harrington and Assistant Coach Louis Lancaster have been placed on a leave of absence from team activities, including today’s match against Portland Thorns FC. In the interim, Amy LePeilbet has been named head coach.”

No other details were provided, but The Athletic’s Meg Linehan reported that Harrington has been placed on leave as a result of the investigations being made within the RSL organization. Linehan reported that Lancaster’s leave is “for a different reason.”

Talking with sources now — Harrington's leave of absence is directly tied to the overall investigation into the culture in Utah. Inappropriate comments, at the minimum.#NWSL

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) September 20, 2020

Two hours before their first fall series game on Sunday, before news about Harrington and Lancaster came to light, many Utah Royals FC players posted a statement on Twitter addressing the allegations of sexism and racism that have been made against leaders of the franchise and vowed to hold the organization accountable as it moves forward.

“We’ve had enough,” the statement begins. “Enough of racist systems excluding black and brown people. Enough of sexist stereotypes infiltrating conversations about our talents and achievements as athletes. Enough of a work environment that is not open and inclusive for all.”

The statement said players “acknowledge the past wrongdoings of this organization and choose to move forward in a new direction.” They added that “it’s important for us to not sweep these things under the rug, but to bring them to light, in order to hold ourselves and the people around us to a much higher standard.”

Moving forward, the statement said, “As a team, we’re setting the standard with a new beginning. One that is open, welcoming, community driven, and elite. One that continues the work of iconic trailblazers like Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to demand equality and respect for all. We expect everyone associated with us to join in upholding these standards. Anything less will impede our progress as a club, as players, and as people. We refuse to settle.”

The statement was signed “Utah Royals FC Players,” and below the signature was a quote from Ginsburg, who passed away last Friday night, which read, “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

Harrington met with media via Zoom on Sept. 11 and addressed the allegations that had been made within the organization. At that time, he said, “We had a strong statement from the club that came out with the zero tolerance towards sexism and racism, and basically there’s no room for it in my team or anything I’m going to be a part of.”

On Sept. 3, he released a statement via Twitter that read, “It has been an honor to watch the Utah Royals players raising their voices for racial and gender equality. I commend their bravery in moving our society to become more just and equitable. There is no place for racism or sexism in sports or in society. Whether on the field or off, as their coach and ally, I am proud to support them in this fight.”

LePeilbet, a former United States Women’s National Team player, has been with the club as an assistant coach since it arrived in Utah in 2017.

This story will be updated.

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