Queen’s Club and Eton head coach suspended in police probe

Britain’s most exclusive tennis club, Queen’s, whose members include Prince Edward, the Duchess of Gloucester and Pippa Middleton, hosts its annual championships next week in the traditional precursor to Wimbledon.

However, i can disclose that this year there is something of a cloud over the West London venue, where membership costs £1,970-a-year. ajaz Karim, its charismatic head squash coach — known to members as ‘Jaz’ — has been suspended, pending the outcome of a police probe.

‘He’s currently suspended,’ confirms a club spokesman, who emphasises that Karim is self-employed rather than being a staff member. ‘it’s a sensitive matter and is under current police investigation.’

Karim’s arrangement at Queen’s allows him to fulfil the same head squash coach role at Eton College, where he has been in the post since 2008, and at the Hurlingham Club in south-West London, and even — according to his personal website — at investment bank Credit suisse, which has its own squash courts.

His website adds that he ‘represented England at junior level in hockey’, ‘has played and coached cricket at a high level’ and has been ‘coaching, training, studying at the pinnacle of squash for over 30 years’.

When not coaching, he works ‘passionately for the charity he founded helping children in Uganda out of poverty through sports and education’, the Uganda Children’s trust Fund.

an acquaintance attests to Karim’s inspirational qualities. ‘Jaz is a very, very charming, incredibly smart, amusing guy, an incredibly magnetic character and, i think, a great coach for lots and lots of kids, over decades.’

this magnetism, he adds, exerts itself at Queen’s. ‘a lot of the support and fundraising for the Uganda Children’s Fund has come through Jaz’s Queen’s Club connections, one way and another — and probably some of his Etonian connections as well.’

Karim, 61, is appreciative of the support. ‘Queen’s has been exceptionally good, fantastic — and the members as well,’ he tells me.

He declines to comment on his charitable work or on the nature of the police investigation, although he has told friends it’s a case of mistaken identity.

Let’s hope that the truth speedily emerges.

a spokesman for Eton College says: ‘Eton College is aware of a police investigation which does not relate to the College and with which we have co-operated fully.

‘in line with our procedures, an individual was suspended.

‘the police have confirmed to us that there is no safeguarding issue relating to the College or its pupils.’