KC Current fire head of medical for fraternization violation

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The Kansas City Current has fired its head of medical, Carlos Jimenez, for violating the National Women's Soccer League's non-fraternization policy.

"We can confirm that Carlos Jimenez is no longer an employee of the Kansas City Current," a club spokesperson said in a statement. "When we learned of his actions in violation of club and league policies, he was immediately terminated. We remain committed to making sure our policies and practices ensure a safe space for our players and our staff."

Jimenez is the second employee of an NWSL club in just over a month to be fired for violating the NWSL Non-Fraternization Policy. Last month, the Houston Dash fired former goalkeeper coach Matt Lampson for violating the policy as well as the league's coaching code of conduct.

The NWSL Non-Fraternization Policy, which was previously obtained by ESPN, applies to head coaches and assistant coaches as well as various other training staff members with supervision over players.

The policy states that such "supervisors may not engage in, develop, continue, or pursue any romantic and/or sexual relationships or encounters, even when consensual, with any employee (including NWSL players or trialists) over whom they currently have direct or indirect supervisory authority or management influence."

The Athletic was first to report the reason for Jimenez's termination being a relationship with a player.

Jimenez joined the Current in December in a head of medical role. He worked as a physical therapist for the Washington Spirit in 2023, the same role he held with the United States women's team from 2019-2021.

The NWSL Non-Fraternization Policy was developed in response to multiple, year-long investigations into the NWSL in 2022, each of which revealed systemic abuse and power imbalances throughout the league.

The reports were commissioned by the NWSL, its players association, and U.S. Soccer following a stretch in 2021 in which five of the league's 10 teams at the time either fired their coach for misconduct or allowed the coach to resign amid allegations of misconduct.

Among those coaches was former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley, who was fired following allegations of sexually coercing players during his previous tenure as Portland Thorns head coach. Public reporting about Riley caused the NWSL to temporarily suspend play in fall 2021.