Former Utah Royals goalkeeper Carly Nelson posted on her social media Friday, alleging “emotional and psychological abuse” during her time with the club. In December, the Royals announced that she would not return for the 2025 season and was an unrestricted free agent. Nelson has yet to be signed by another team.
The Royals acquired Nelson via a trade with the Orlando Pride in December 2023, bringing the Utah native home ahead of the team’s first season back in the league as an expansion club. By May 3, the club began listing Nelson as an excused absence on its availability report, and by the end of the month, Nelson shared on her Instagram that she had taken a mental health leave.
“Utah Royals FC prides itself in creating a positive and supportive experience for our players and staff. We take any allegations counter to this with the utmost seriousness and urgency. We were saddened to learn of a former player’s experience,” said a club statement issued Friday night. “Everyone deserves safe and supportive environments on and off the field of play. Our goal is to enable our athletes, our staff and employees to enjoy a nurturing, healthy and respectful workplace for all.”
On Friday, Nelson shared additional details of her experience, writing, “This is merely a fraction of it. I will eventually share the full thing. For now, this is what I can say.”
In Nelson’s post, she said that while she raised concerns and sought mental health support, she was “met with resistance and public retaliation from the coaches responsible.” Paid mental health leave was established in the collective bargaining agreement signed by the league and NWSL Players Association in 2022.
“While some responsible were eventually removed,” Nelson wrote Friday, “the damage had already been done — not just to me, but to others as well. Toxic environments harm physical health, emotional well-being, and derail careers.”
Prior to Nelson’s mental health leave, the Royals were coached by Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez and goalkeeping coach Maryse Bard-Martel were relieved of their duties by the club in June. At the time, the club’s sporting director, Kelly Cousins, focused primarily on the team’s last-place position on the NWSL standings and its 2-11-2 (W-L-D) record for the first half of the season in comments following the decision.
On Friday, an NWSL spokesperson told , “The health and welfare of players and staff is our top priority, and we’re committed to creating and sustaining healthy environments where everyone associated with our league can thrive. We have taken corrective action when necessary and will continue to work with all our clubs to ensure the resources necessary are in place to serve athletes and staff alike.”
Nelson called the issues she encountered “beyond individual experiences,” saying they were “systemic.” This is not the first such allegation against the NWSL or the first involving the Utah Royals.
The team first joined the NWSL in 2018 with Dell Loy Hansen as the team’s owner, but was folded and moved to Kansas City in December 2020 following reporting on Hansen’s racist behavior and a toxic culture at the Royals and MLS side Real Salt Lake.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
