GRAVE ACCUSATIONS OF misconduct of a player has rocked the Indian U-17 Women's National Team camp currently ongoing in Europe.
The team, slated to play in the historic FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, is on a preparatory tour in Italy and Norway. And that's where assistant coach Alex Ambrose allegedly committed what is being termed 'misconduct' with a player. Report of the incident was first published on The Away End.
The player in question was missing from her room for a few days straight. Her roommate brought this to the attention of the team management who went looking for her. In an initial search of Alex Ambrose's room, she was not found. But in a subsequent search she was discovered there.
Although Mr Ambrose, who is also a former professional player, denied any wrongdoing, certain content discovered in the mobile phone of the player in question made the team management conclude otherwise.
Alex Ambrose has been sent back to India, and the AIFF has issued a statement on the matter, saying,
"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."
There have also been reports that certain accusations against him were made by female players verbally in the past. But there is no word from the Federation on if any official enquiry was conducted into them.
This comes just two months after accusations made against former AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das by Delhi FC owner Ranjit Bajaj.
A source close to the Alex Ambrose situation told TFG that since the matter involves a player who is still minor, extreme caution is being practiced to ensure they are not adversely affected by this scandal. There is no word on whether the AIFF is looking to reach out to those who spoke up against him in the past to review those alleged incidents as well.