'An insult to my personal values' - Vera Pauw rejects claims made in US report 

'I cannot allow my name to be attached to such false accusations,' the Ireland WNT boss says in a statement.

PUSHING BACK: FAI Womens manager Vera Pauw.

Vera Pauw has strongly rejected allegations made against her in a recent National Women's Soccer League report. 

The Ireland boss has described the claims about her conduct while in charge of Houston Dash as 'false' and an insult to her personal values.  

Pauw will face the media in Dublin this afternoon. The Dutch coach was given the backing of the FAI on Thursday night, before she met Abbotstown chiefs for discussions. 

"Firstly, I would like to express my disappointment at the manner in which this investigation was conducted, the way I was treated when I tried to engage with the investigation and the lack of engagement around the publication of the report and statements to the media," Pauw writes in a statement. 

"The Report suggests that I did not co-operate with the Investigation Team, which is untrue. I accepted an invitation to join a video call, on September 29th, on which there were four people and me. I asked to record the call but they said that this could not happen and they refused to answer any of my questions before they ended the call. I then wrote a 13-page letter to outline my experience of my time at Houston and offered to re-engage with them but they never responded.

"I want to refute every allegation made against me from my time at Houston Dash. Player welfare has always been of the utmost importance to me throughout my career. Nutrition is a hugely important aspect of professional football and my advice to players has always been to look after their nutritional needs and their health – and to always seek the advice of medical experts.

This has been such an incredible year with so many personal highs & lows!

Thank you to those who believe in the truth and support me. pic.twitter.com/px5xF5mH6K

— Vera Pauw (@verapauw) December 16, 2022

"To suggest I would body shame any human being, footballer or not, is an insult to my personal values and to my behaviour as coach and I cannot allow this claim to go unchallenged.

"I would like to thank all those who have spoken out in support of me since these allegations were made public on Wednesday evening. I appreciate the continued backing of the FAI as we look forward to the FIFA Women’s World Cup next summer.

"I will continue to defend myself against all these claims. I have spent my entire career fighting for my players and now I must fight for myself. I am extremely frustrated that I have been targeted in such a disappointing manner. I cannot allow my name to be attached to such false accusations."

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