Harvard University announced last week that it was canceling the men’s soccer season after discovering members of the team were rating the attractiveness of female soccer players. The controversy goes back as far as 2012 and was revealed in a lengthy document that was forwarded to each member of the men’s team.
The “scouting report” document, which totaled nine pages in all, listed each female player’s name, a numerical rating of her attractiveness and an assigned sex position. The female team responded by stating the report was a harsh reality in a world where women are still judged largely on appearance.
And it was sad that men feel a sense of entitlement to women’s bodies. The team also said the whole experience has been degrading, especially from fellow athletes whom they considered to be brothers.
Robert L. Scalise, the Harvard athletic director, sent an email to the student body, condemning the behavior and announcing the end of the men’s soccer season. He said the team would forfeit its remaining matches and would not be competing for either an Ivy League Championship or the NCAA Tournament. University president Drew G. Faust said the actions of the men’s team were unacceptable and were not aligned with the school’s values.