LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Sherwin-Williams Company on Friday announced it has suspended its sponsorship with Racing Louisville FC in the wake of a scathing report which uncovered allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League.

The company was removed from Racing Louisville's corporate partners page early Friday afternoon.

In lieu of the sponsorship, the company said in a statement posted to social media, a donation was made to Support the Players National Emergency Trust. They added that any future support of the club would hinge on the NWSL creating "meaningful change" to ensure health and player safety.

"The abuse outlined in the [Yates] report is reprehensible and we condemn the use of power to systemically harm women," Sherwin-Williams' statement read.

The Yates report, comissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation and released on Monday, found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the NWSL, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players. The investigation focused on three former coaches: Paul Riley of the North Carolina Courage, Rory Dames of the Chicago Red Stars and Christy Holly of Racing Louisville.

It recounts an April 2021 encounter between Holly and a player, Erin Simon, who now plays in Europe. Holly invited her to watch game film with him and allegedly told her that for every pass she messed up, he was going to touch her. Simon told investigators Holly "pushed his hands down her pants and up her shirt."

Simon, now with Leicester City, said too many athletes suffer in silence because they are afraid they won't be heard.

"I know because that is how I felt," the 28-year-old said in a statement. "Through many difficult days, my faith alone sustained me and kept me going. I want to do everything in my power to ensure that no other player must experience what I did. This report allows our voices to finally be heard and is the first step toward achieving the respectful workplace we all deserve."

Holly was terminated for cause but Racing Louisville declined to publicly state the reason. Yates' report noted that Racing did not provide investigators with details about Holly's employment, citing mutual nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses.

Major sponsors of the club began exerting pressure on Wednesday. GE Appliances and Barrell Craft Spirits issued statements condemning the "systemic failures outlined in the investigation" of abuse against women. Both said their continued support of Racing Louisville would depend on meaningful change and increased transparency.

Vyfy Wellness, a women-owned founding Racing Louisville sponsor, echoed that sentiment in a statement on Thursday, condemning the actions of coaches detailed in the investigation.

"We have been proud to be supporting professional soccer in Louisville, and we hope that pride can and will be restored," the statement read.