Pierre Soubrier & Crystal Dunn address results of NWSL investigation

Former Portland Thorns athletic trainer Pierre Soubrier has publicly apologized, after the results of an NWSL investigation proved he ‘administered a controlled substance to players without a prescription and verbal consent.”

“Today I am holding my hands up, apologizing, and holding myself accountable. I want to unequivocally apologize to those involved, directly and indirectly. I especially apologize for putting a player in that situation. It was never my intention to do so. I apologize to my former club and the league as well,” began Soubrier’s public statement.

“I have served in the NWSL for 8 years, and I have always sought to be known for my work ethic, professionalism, and, most importantly, upholding the highest standards of care for my players. This was not good enough and I will be better. I pledge that nothing like this will ever happen again.”

NWSL’s third-party investigators stated Soubrier "...administered the controlled substance to the players on multiple occasions without a prescription and physician supervision which is a violation of federal and state laws and league policy. Further, Soubrier administered the medication to one of the players without her informed consent.”

Soubrier was first placed on administrative leave in December, before being officially fired in January. 

Crystal Dunn, current USWNT and Portland Thorns player, also took to social media to voice her opinions on the controversial matter and show support for her husband, Soubrier. The two have been married since 2018. 

“Pierre is an incredible person with an amazing work ethic, passion and dedication for all that he does. His commitment to high standards is one of his greatest qualities. He is human, and I appreciate his level of accountability and ownership through this situation,” read Dunn’s statement.

“There is a path forward and he is committed to the process. As a player, I look forward to seeing Pierre thrive in a future environment. As a wife, I will always stand by my family and will support him on this next journey.”

League Policy now states that Soubrier can only be eligible for future NWSL jobs only if he receives clearance from the commissioner and “...acknowledges wrongdoing and accepts personal responsibility for his conduct and demonstrates a sincere commitment to correcting his behavior.”