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A wave of criticism followed that post, with former teammates, including Canadian Sports Hall of Famer Andrea Neil, speaking out, as well as Whitecaps supporters who staged walkouts at three games this season to raise public awareness about the situation and to express their frustrations over how ownership and the club’s executive had handled the situation.

“With everyone stepping up, this is why the meeting happened,” McCormack said. “We would have hit an impasse if people hadn’t stepped up.”

“It was amazing to see, all these people who I’d never met saying they believed me,” she said of the fan walkouts. “It was one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Definitely restored my faith in humanity.”

Photo by Tony Feder / Getty Images files

McCormack said the meeting was “tough and emotional,” but also said she believed they were productive and was pleased about who had been hired to conduct the review. She was also pleased by the response from Kerfoot and Mallett.

“Most importantly, for the first time in 12 years since this situation started, I felt heard by people in a position of power who seemed to have a genuine desire to do something, and for that I am incredibly grateful,” she said in her blog post.

Kerfoot and Mallett had said in an open letter on May 1 that they were launching this review process.

“Our primary objective throughout the club is to provide a safe and supportive environment for athletes to practise, learn, compete, and achieve their best,” Mallett said in a statement Monday about hiring SLSG. “Our commitment to athlete safety is at the heart of what we do.