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Birarda did not respond to a request for comment and the allegations have not been proven in court.

The Whitecaps and Canada Soccer issued separate statements on Monday saying that concerns about behaviour within their programs in 2008 were investigated and after the investigation was complete, the organizations parted ways with the coach.

The Whitecaps statement goes on to say the club is concerned that details in the athletes’ statement did not come forward in 2008 and that the Whitecaps have since contacted police in Vancouver to see if further action is required.

Andrea Neil, one of Canada’a most decorated soccer stars, issued a statement last week saying that she began hearing “rumours and stories” about trouble within the 2008 U20 squad shortly after her time with the national team ended.

“What happened in 2008 was not right. People got emotionally hurt, and all of us have a responsibility to do something about that,” she said.

Eden Hingwing is one of the 12 players behind the statement released on Monday. She said the group decided to speak out about their experiences to help push for change.

“My reason for participating is because I believe silence allows unacceptable behaviour to continue,” she said in an email.

The group said that some of the women decided to come forward more than 10 years later because they didn’t know Birarda was still coaching.

Coastal FC, a B.C.-based club which had Birarda as a coach since 2008, issued a statement in March saying that a coach had been suspended pending a review of “specific allegations.”