Indian U-17 Women's Football Team Assistant Coach Alex Ambrose Sacked for Sexual Misconduct

The All India Football Federation has sacked Alex Ambrose, the assistant coach of the Indian U-17 women's football team, for sexual misconduct. Ambrose's sacking was confirmed by Dr SY Quraishi, a member of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) running the affairs at AIFF, on Twitter.

"Alex Ambrose, Asstt Head Coach of Under 17 Women's team has been sacked for sexual misconduct. Further action under process," he tweeted.

AIFF had on 30 June provisionally suspended a staff member with the team after a complaint was made against the coach. While the AIFF did not reveal the name of the member at that time, a report revealed that the team's assistant coach Ambrose has been sent back home from the European tour after being involved in alleged misconduct involving a player.

The AIFF in its statement had said: "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 U-17 Women's Football Team is currently in Europe on an exposure tour ahead of the World Cup which will be played in India later this year.

Meanwhile, condemning the incident, the member associations urged the COA and AIFF administration to initiate an independent enquiry and called for a life ban for Ambrose from the game.

"State Associations would like to recommend stringent action including legal and exemplary punishment with a life ban from football and even canceling his coaching licenses," said a statement.

State Associations also resolved to request both COA and AIFF administration to urgently appoint a Woman Safety Officer with immediate effect to instill confidence in the system for women players and women working in football, especially with national teams and also at the AIFF house in New Delhi, it added.

The member associations also placed in a "sincere request" to the administration that all male support staff be replaced with women staffers as early as possible.