Lisa De Vanna, who played 150 games in Australia and was second on the list of women’s top scorers with 47 goals, experienced harassment, abuse and bullying for the first time when she joined the national women’s team in 2001. I said I did. 17 years old.

She told The Daily Telegraph in Sydney that she was dragged from behind by several teammates and “fought off the floor by kicking and screaming.”

“They found it interesting. I was a young kid from Perth, but I couldn’t tell the difference. I … wanted to hit them,” said De Vanna.

De Vanna has published her claim following a scandal in the United States. There, the National Women’s Soccer League canceled the match over the weekend, and its commissioner resigned in allegations of sexual harassment and illegal activity involving long-time coaches.

NWSL was shaken last week when two ex-players filed a motion of harassment, including sexual coercion, against North Carolina College coach Raul Riley.

Riley was soon courageously dismissed and both FIFA and US football began investigating why players were able to continue coaching after expressing concern about the league. Riley told athletics that the claim was “not completely true.”

De Vanna initially responded on social media to a tweet from the great American footballer Megan Rapinoe, who posted the message “A man who protects a man who is abusing women” in response to the NWSL scandal.

Devanna She posted that she agreed with Rapinoe, but she witnessed again An organization that protects “women who abuse women” and “players who protect senior players who abuse young players” and “coaches / players” who abuse players.

“Abuse is abuse. Bad behavior is bad on every board!”

In the story of The Daily Telegraph, Devanna said, “I’ve seen cultural issues at all levels, from men to women. Girls need to be brave, and girls who have experienced this are brave and know. Must be. They are not alone. “

“Grooming, prey, and non-professional behavior in any sports organization, in any environment, makes me sick.”

Devanna retired from professional football last month after playing in clubs in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Italy.

The Football Australia met with Devanna and said, “I heard her dissatisfaction,” but no specific claim was made at the meeting.

“If Lisa chooses to file a formal complaint through the right route, she is in a position to investigate and act accordingly,” the Football Australia said in a statement released late Tuesday. Stated. Transfer your concerns through formal grievance handling in Football Australia. “

Australian professional footballers, a national union, said they were “deeply concerned” about the claim.

“We recognize that the decision to speak publicly would not have been made lightly,” the PFA said in a statement. “It is important for sports to provide a safe and inclusive workplace, and importantly, athletes are supported to move forward.”

Other AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer When https://twitter.com/AP-Sports