Former Vancouver Whitecaps women’s coach charged with sexual offences
Posted December 10, 2020 10:18 am.
Last Updated December 10, 2020 5:00 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A former coach for the Vancouver Whitecaps women’s team has been charged with multiple sexual offences spanning two decades, according to the BC Prosecution Service.
In an email to NEWS 1130, the prosecution service explains Robert Steven Birarda has been charged with “several sexual offences” against four different people. This includes six counts of sexual exploitation, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of child luring. The alleged incidents are said to have happened between Jan 1, 1988 and Mar. 25, 2008 at or near North Vancouver, Burnaby, and West Vancouver.
#BREAKING Former Whitecaps women's coach Bob Birarda has been charged with "several sexual offences against four individuals." That includes six counts of sexual exploitation, two counts of sexual assault and one count of child luring. More throughout the day @NEWS1130
— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) December 10, 2020
Birarda was fired by the Whitecaps and Canada Soccer in 2008. At the time, the Whitecaps and Canada Soccer did not reveal why Birarda was removed from his position.
According to the charges, it is clear the accusations cover a range of time, including the decade-plus period before Birarda joined the Whitecaps and the Canadian national team program (he was U-20 coach).
— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) December 10, 2020
He has been coaching girls’ teams in the community in recent years, despite assurances to former players he would not coach young women again.
Multiple accusations from former players
More than a dozen women who played for the Whitecaps and were part of Canada’s under-20 talent pool around the same year he left came forward to allege he acted inappropriately with members of the team. The allegations include touching a player inappropriately, holding a private meeting with a player in his hotel room, and sending texts with sexual innuendo to players.
RELATED: Former Whitecaps women’s player claims abuse, calls for system overhaul
Claims of abuse and inappropriate behaviour regarding the former coach were first publicly brought forward in February 2019 by a former Whitecaps player.
From the BC Prosecution Service:
“The offences are alleged to have generally occurred between January 1, 1988 and March 25, 2008 at or near North Vancouver, Burnaby and West Vancouver.”— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) December 10, 2020
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Last year, hundreds of fans walked out of several Whitecaps games in protest of how the allegations were handled.
Curva Collective, a Whitecaps fan group, called for an independent investigation amid the abuse accusations and for the findings to be made public last April.
RELATED: Some Whitecaps season ticket holders cancel over response to abuse allegations
An investigation in late 2019 found the Vancouver Whitecaps did not try to sweep allegations of abuse by a women’s coach in 2008 under the rug.
That is a key determination of the independent review into how the soccer club managed the claims. Using words like “prudent,” Sport Law & Strategy Group has suggested the Whitecaps handled the 2008 situation “reasonably,” investigating incidents at the time before firing the coach.
However, the report highlights the lack of communication by the club to players about the investigation and following his dismissal.
Birarda made his first court appearance at North Vancouver Provincial Court in connection with these charges, and he is due back again next month.
‘We should have been better’: Whitecaps
Axel Schuster, the Whitecaps FC CEO and sporting director, released a statement Thursday afternoon saying “our thoughts are with the brave women who have come forward and the victims affected.”
While he writes that the interest is to protect the individuals involved and the course process, he acknowledges the pain and suffering of the victims.
We thank the brave women who have come forward and our thoughts are with the victims affected. @TheAxelSchuster on the charges laid against former #VWFC women's head coach Bob Birarda. pic.twitter.com/IcSNFyiLkJ
— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) December 11, 2020
He notes Birarda was the head coach from 2006 to 2008 and the announcement of his charges “reinforced the harm that he brought to women in our program during that time.”
“We should have been better, and for that we are sorry,” he added.
