RSL sued by former youth team goalie over allegations of hazing

Real Salt Lake Stadium

Jeffrey Dewsnup, a former Real Salt Lake goalkeeper, is suing the MLS club for $100 million in punitive damages after alleging that the club failed to prevent a culture of hazing and misconduct that severely impacted his career. Dewsnup, now 22, claims in the suit that locker room misconduct and verbal abuse stunted his development in the game. He signed a professional contract with RSL in 2021.

Allegations of misconduct

In the suit, Dewsnup alleges that a locker room culture of harassment and misconduct forced him to walk away from the game. He first started training with RSL's first team at 15 and claims that the club failed to implement required child protection policies during his time there. He references numerous instances of alleged player-to-player misconduct. Dewsnup claims that defender Aaron Herrera exposed his genitals to him, while David Ochoa made explicit comments about his body. He also alleges that three players - including Herrera - threw a ball at him while he was changing.

The club denies all allegations made by Dewsnup.

"Real Salt Lake takes any claims related to athlete safety extremely seriously. The club is aware of a complaint filed by a former professional player and firmly denies the allegations. The club will vigorously defend itself through the legal process," the club said in a statement to GOAL.

Training while hurt

The suit also alleges that goalkeeper coach Ignacio Hernandez forced Dewsnup to train with an injured shoulder in 2021 and claimed that he was "faking the injury." Dewsnup says he sustained injuries to his hip, shoulder, and foot, all of which he claims Hernandez intentionally mishandled.

Emergency room visit

The suit claims Dewsnup’s father tried to contact the club about the allegations “on multiple occasions,” but that the club did not respond. Dewsnup was taken to the emergency room in 2022 and still suffers from PTSD from his time at the club, according to the complaint.

A Major League Soccer spokesperson said the league is reviewing the allegations.

“The allegations described in the complaint are serious, and the League is reviewing them carefully. Player safety and well-being are core priorities for the League, and we are committed to maintaining standards, policies, and reporting processes intended to promote a safe environment and compliance with applicable SafeSport standards," the spokesperson said to GOAL. "Based on the information available to us, we believe the League conducted itself appropriately. Because this matter is pending, we will not comment further at this time.”

Retiring from soccer

Dewsnup is seeking $20 million for medical expenses and a further $80 million for lost wages, claiming his experiences at RSL led him to walk away from the game. He retired in 2022 before briefly returning to training three years later.