‘Not a shred of doubt:’ Whitecaps abuse whistleblower relieved as former coach pleads guilty to sex crimes

The woman who first brought forward abuse claims against a former Vancouver Whitecaps and Canada U-20 women’s coach is feeling a sense of relief, after Bob Birarda pleaded guilty to sex crimes Tuesday.

Birarda admitted guilt in relation to three counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual exploitation in B.C Provincial Court.

Former Whitecaps women’s player Ciara McCormack told City News on Tuesday she is grateful to see the criminal case coming to an end.

“I’m just really happy for the women that came forward, that they actually don’t have to go to a trial and suffer more trauma, and a bit of relief the system is functioning as it should,” she said.

Just spoke with an emotional @ciaramccormack after guilty plea from former Whitecaps women's coach Bob Birarda.

"I'm just really happy for the women who came forward that they don't have to go to a trial and suffer more trauma, and relief the system is functioning as it should." https://t.co/Jtn4dG3AA6

— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) February 8, 2022

Birarda was charged in December 2020 of six counts of sexual exploitation, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of child luring for alleged offences that took place in North Vancouver, Burnaby and West Vancouver between January 1988 and March 25, 2008.

McCormack is welcoming the official admission of guilt even if not to all the charges.

“Everyone that I’ve spoken to in a legal sense has said, these sorts of agreements under pleading guilty are quite common,” said McCormack. “The fact that he pled guilty, I think it’s an expected development to have that sort of a thing happen.”

More than a dozen women who played for the Whitecaps and were part of Canada’s under-20 talent pool around 2008 have come forward to allege Birarda, a former coach for both squads, acted inappropriately with members of the team.

The allegations included rubbing a player’s thigh, sending players sexual text messages, making lewd comments and bullying young women who ignored or spoke out against his behaviour.

RELATED: Former Vancouver Whitecaps women’s coach Birarda pleads guilty to four sex charges

In 2019, Birarda was still coaching youth players with Coastal FC in Metro Vancouver when McCormack published a blog outlining allegations against him.

“Now, everybody knows how egregious the entire thing was, from what we dealt with from someone who had a lot of power over us as athletes, and then the last 10 years, and the trauma that we were caused by having to watch him have full access to teenage girls…when we knew he had been let go [by the Whitecaps] for sexual misconduct in 2008,” said McCormack. “I think on a legal level [the guilty plea], it kind of makes right a situation that’s been very wrong for a very long time, and so I think that that allows everybody to begin to heal and start to move forward.”

The Whitecaps have placed executives who were with the team in 2008 and 2011 on leave, as it waits on the findings of an investigation by Janice Rubin and Melody Jahanzadeh of Rubin Thomlinson LLP on behalf of Major League Soccer. Specifically, that firm is tasked with determining how the club handled allegations that were brought forward against Birarda and another former coach, Hubert Busby Jr.

Given MLS is paying for the review, McCormack has concerns.

“It’s not an impartial investigation,” McCormack insists, referencing a previous independent investigation that the Whitecaps paid for. “Frankly it was a complete joke of an investigation that allowed the Whitecaps to be able to say they were exonerated by a group that they paid for, so I think we’re figuring out our next steps now with it, but I think we’re a lot more savvy to the realities of it. With these investigations, they are paid for — the organizations have attorney-client privilege that benefits them, doesn’t protect the athletes.”

NEW: Vancouver Whitecaps Chief Executive Axel Schuster has issued this statement in response to the guilty pleas from former women’s soccer coach Bob Birarda in relation to sex crimes: #VWFC pic.twitter.com/KUlPSTe5Py

— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) February 9, 2022

In a statement, the Whitecaps organization has responded to Birarda’s guilty pleas.

“Our thoughts continue to be with the courageous women who have come forward,” said Whitecaps chief executive Axel Schuster in a statement. “Whitecaps FC is cooperating with the investigation led by Janice Rubin and Melody Jahanzadeh of Rubin Thomlinson LLP, who were engaged by MLS to conduct an independent review.

“We look forward to the results of the findings and welcome any recommendations that will further ensure that we have the appropriate preventative measures in place to foster a safe environment for all athletes and staff.”

A judge is expected to sentence Birarda later this year.

With files from The Canadian Press