Football
India U-17 women's team assistant coach sent home after alleged misconduct: Reports
The coach denied his involvement when he was confronted but incriminating photographs and chats were found on the mobile phone of the minor footballer in question.
The Indian U-17 women's football team is on an exposure trip in Italy and Norway. (AIFF)
The assistant coach of the Indian U-17 women's football team, which is preparing to play in the FIFA U-17 World Cup later this year, has reportedly been sent back to India from a tour in Europe for alleged misconduct with a player of the team.
According to The Away End, the coach, Alex Ambrose, denied his involvement in the matter when he was confronted but incriminating photographs and chats were found on the mobile phone of the minor footballer in question.
A statement by AIFF said on Thursday: "An event of misconduct has been reported in the U17 women's team currently on an exposure tour to Europe. The AIFF follows a zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline. As an initial action, the Federation has provisionally suspended the individual pending further investigation. The AIFF has asked the concerned individual to stop all contact with the team, return to India immediately, and be physically present for further investigations upon his arrival."
The media report also added that verbal complaints of similar misconduct had been filed against the coach by members of previous batches of the U-17 team as well.
The coach was with the team on their tour of Italy, but was not to be seen in squad photos when the team touched down in Norway on Wednesday.
India lost 0-7 to Italy, 1-3 to Chile and 0-2 to Mexico in a four-nation U-17 tournament last week. They will be touring Norway now as part of their preparations for the FIFA U-17 World Cup later this year, where they have been drawn alongside Brazil, USA and Morocco in Group A.
