Sudeva Delhi FC retracts, decides not to appoint Alex Ambrose as coach

Sudeva Delhi FC on Wednesday decided not to go ahead with the appointment of Alex Ambrose as its head coach after the All India Football Federation indicated it will not accept the recruitment of an individual accused of alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor.

The Delhi club had applied for clearance from the AIFF as it was mandatory to register players and staff under the Centralised Registration System (CRS).

Ambrose was sacked as assistant coach of the Indian women's U-17 team for alleged sexual misconduct during a training and exposure tour of Europe last year.

A Delhi court had in February issued a warrant of arrest against him after an FIR was registered at a police station in Dwarka under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Ambrose has denied the allegations.

"Considering the whole scenario and taking into account any possible impact from the fans and other stakeholders, we have decided not to go ahead and appoint him (Ambrose) as coach of my club," Sudeva Delhi FC owner Anuj Gupta told PTI on Wednesday.

"The deal (with Ambrose) has not yet been completed and we have no financial obligation towards him. So, we are not going ahead with (Ambrose) as our planned appointment as team coach." Gupta had on Monday confirmed that his club had applied to the AIFF for clearance of Ambrose.

He had also defended the move, saying a person is innocent until proven guilty and he cannot be deprived of earning his livelihood through his profession.

"He (Ambrose) has not been proven guilty. He is currently on bail and he cannot be barred from earning his livelihood. So, we have not done anything wrong (by appointing Ambrose as coach)," Gupta had said.

It was learned that the AIFF top brass considered Sudeva Delhi FC's move as "unacceptable". "

Not only the AIFF is going to shoot down the application of Sudeva Delhi FC to clear Ambrose as coach, but also the top brass considers the move as unacceptable," a source had said.

"How can a club appoint a person against whom an FIR has been filed under POCSO Act as a coach?" Sudeva Delhi FC finished 12th and last in the I-League last season and was relegated to the second division.