The Orange Women sympathize with Vera Pauw. The former national coach of the Netherlands said on Friday that she was raped as a young player by a KNVB coach. She also later claimed to have been a victim of transgressive behavior at the union twice.
National coach Mark Parsons gathered some experienced players and staff members on Friday to inform them about the upcoming revelations of Pauw in NRC† One of them was Sherida Spitse. The record international made her debut with the Orange Women in 2006 under Pauw and with Renate Jansen is the only player from the current selection who played under the native Amsterdam. Pauw left Zeist in 2010.
“It’s painful,” Spitse said on Saturday after the friendly match against Finland, which the Netherlands won 2-0. The midfielder says she cannot say much about the case, because she does not know the details. She hasn’t had the opportunity to message Pauw yet, even though they still talk every now and then. “But that this happened to her is painful.”
Parsons speaks words to the same effect. The English coach met Pauw once, during their time together in the United States. Pauw worked as a coach at Houston Dash in the 2017/2018 season, while Parsons was under contract with Portland Thorns.
“It was shocking and sad news to hear,” Parsons says. “But I commend her courage to come out with this. I hope she gets the support to deal with this well. The team has done a good job: they have focused on what we are here for. But of course Vera is there in our minds. And in the minds of many people.”
The story of Pauw was discussed in the selection, Spitse says. “We have read about it and talked about it for a while. But we were mainly concerned with this match against Finland. Of course, this is not fun for Vera, but we are busy with the European Championship. This has not distracted.”
National coach Mark Parsons supported his predecessor Vera Pauw.
National coach Mark Parsons supported his predecessor Vera Pauw.
‘There is a pleasant and safe working environment’
Pauw said he was not only raped by Piet Buter in 1986, but also had been the victim of transgressive behavior by two other men, who also worked for the football association. In 1997 she was grabbed from behind between her legs by an elderly teacher. That happened to her again in 2004.
Spitse emphasizes that she has not had bad experiences with male employees at the KNVB. “I can only speak for myself: I have been with the Dutch national team for a number of years and I experience it as a pleasant and safe working environment.”
“It has not bothered me, no matter which coach I have worked with. We are always busy with training, matches and preparations for tournaments. This is not an issue with us in the group. If others have experienced something, they must share their story with to share with each other or with the KNVB.”
NU.nl approached KNVB director Jan Dirk van der Zee, who is responsible for women’s football at the association, on Saturday for an extensive response. Through his press officer, he let it be known that the KNVB will leave it with the statement published on Friday, in which the association expresses its regret.
