Toni Minichiello has been given a lifetime ban by UK Athletics over sexually inappropriate conduct.
The coach, who famously guided Jessica Ennis-Hill to gold on the London 2012 Olympics, won’t be permitted to coach athletes following an investigation, which revealed that he engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviour, emotional abuse and bullying.
Multiple breaches of belief had been discovered and UK Athletics labelled the findings as “the utmost seriousness”.
After being suspended final 12 months earlier than an investigation, Minichiello has been discovered to have breached his teaching licence over the course of 15 years in some ways, in keeping with the Independent Case Management Group. The investigation discovered that Minichiello:
1) Made inappropriate sexual references and gestures to athletes.
2) Failed to respect the athletes proper to a non-public life by making intrusive enquiries and private feedback about their private lives
3) Engaged in sexually bodily behaviour, specifically inappropriate and undesirable touching of athletes to whom he owed an obligation of care
4) Engaged in inappropriate and typically aggressive behaviour, bullying and emotional abuse.
The assertion added: “They amount to a large number of breaches of the UKA coach licence terms over a 15-year period. They constitute gross breaches of trust by Mr Minichiello which have had severe consequences for the mental health and mental wellbeing of the athletes under his charge.”
With Minichiello’s teaching licence already expired, a suspension or sanction was not potential, however motion has been taken within the type of not entertaining future functions for a UKA coach licence “in perpetuity”.
“It is noted that during the process of these disciplinary matters, Mr Minichiello’s coaching licence expired and therefore cannot be suspended/subject to a sanction,” UKA added.
“Therefore, UKA has decided that it will not entertain any future application made by Mr Minichiello for a UKA coach licence in perpetuity.
“The issuance of a UKA licence to a coach is essentially a representation on behalf of UKA that the coach in question can be trusted with the athletes under his charge,” it added. “UKA is firmly of the view that there will never be a time in the future at which it would be appropriate to grant that assurance and issue such a licence.”
Source: www.unbiased.co.uk