Report: India U-17 women's team coach suspended after misconduct allegations

Individual to return to India immediately for pending investigations.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has provisionally suspended a coach of the Indian U-17 women's team, after reports of misconduct involving one of the players on the team.

According to a report from The Away End, Alex Ambrose, the assistant coach of the Indian U-17 women's team, is the individual in question. The AIFF in a statement, without revealing Ambrose's identity, confirmed that he has been provisionally suspended and will return to India immediately.

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"The AIFF follows a zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline. As an initial action, the Federation has provisionally suspended the individual pending further investigation," the official statement read. He will also be "physically present for further investigations upon his arrival."

Ambrose was called back midway through the U-17 team's Europe exposure tour following a complaint made by a player against the assistant coach, said the report from The Away End. The report also added that verbal complaints against the coach had been made previously by members of different batches of the national team.

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Although Ambrose denied the allegations initially, the photographs and texts obtained from a player's phone implicated his guilt. As per The Away End, the team psychologist has taken charge of preparing a report, corresponding with the minor.

The AIFF has ordered Ambrose to cease all contact with the team and return to India for further investigations. "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," AIFF detailed in the statement rolled out earlier today.

Prominent journalist Jaydeep Basu also named Alex Ambrose as the coaching official who is suspended following misconduct allegations. Basu also added that the assistant coach is set to be sacked.

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The U-17 team recently finished their stint in Italy, competing against the hosts, Netherlands and Mexico in a four-team tournament. The team will start the Norway leg of the European exposure tour, which Ambrose is not a part of, on July 1. Thomas Dennerby's side are preparing for the U-17 World Cup later this year set to take place in India.

India have been clubbed alongside USA, Brazil and Morocco in Group A of the FIFA U1-7 Women's World Cup. The young Tigresses begin their campaign on the opening day against the USA on October 11. They face Morocco and Brazil on October 14 and 17 respectively. India will play all of its group stage matches at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

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