Gregg Berhalter remains in contention for USMNT job despite investigation confirming he did kick wife

Gregg Berhalter remains in contention for the U.S. men’s national team job despite an investigation confirming he pushed down and kicked his then-girlfriend, now-wife Rosalind Berhalter in the legs when the two were freshmen at the University of North Carolina in 1992. U.S. Soccer released a statement that reads in part: “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. Soccer’s treatment of his children, including primarily his son, USMNT player Gio Reyna.” That outreach included complaints about refereeing in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, travel accommodations and Reyna’s role at the World Cup. The investigation also indicated that both Claudio and Danielle Reyna, Gio Reyna’s mother, made vague suggestions to U.S. Soccer employees at the 2022 World Cup, “suggesting they knew damaging information about Mr. Berhalter that U.S. Soccer officials did not know.” The law firm that conducted the investigation, Alston & Bird, concluded that “the legal analysis conducted by Alston & Bird leads us to conclude that the fact of the 1992 Incident does not prevent an employer from employing Mr. Berhalter.” According to the investigation, given that it occurred 31 years ago and no evidence contradicting witness accounts or suggesting similar conduct since, “there is no basis to conclude that employing Mr. Berhalter would create legal risks for an organization.” The investigation also concluded that the communications between the Reynas and U.S. Soccer officials did not violate any laws or U.S. Soccer policy, but did not determine whether it violated the FIFA Code of Ethics because Reyna was an official with NYCFC and Austin FC at the time of the communications.