BELLAMY STEPS DOWN
Coach won’t work for Cardiff during bullying probe He’s taken off air by Sky
CRAIG BELLAMY has stepped down from his position as Cardiff City Under 18s head coach while the club investigate allegations of bullying and xenophobic behaviour.
Sportsmail revealed earlier this week that a complaint has been made by an academy player, who is currently training away from the club. And Cardiff have now included claims by former youth team defender Alfie Madden in their probe after his parents told
Sportsmail on Wednesday that Bellamy bullied their son in 2017, forcing them to remove him from the academy amid concerns for his welfare.
Bellamy denies the allegations and says he will not be working at the club during the investigation process.
We can also reveal that Sky Sports, for whom the former Wales captain regularly works in a freelance capacity, will not be using him during the same period.
In a statement, Bellamy said: ‘I am aware of allegations that have been made against me via the media.
‘I understand the need for Cardiff City to undertake a full investigation in response to these allegations and — at my own suggestion — I have temporarily removed myself from my coaching position in order to co-operate fully with the club’s inquiry.
‘Obviously, I am saddened both by the allegations and the manner in which they were made and I categorically refute them.
‘I fully expect to return to my coaching role and have sought legal advice as to my position. I will be making no further comment until the full investigation by the club has been concluded.’
The FA has told us that they will leave the investigation to the club, and Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman says the process has already begun.
He told talkSPORT: ‘I don’t want to personalise this. Any complaint or any disgruntlement of this nature that comes to the attention of Cardiff City Football Club, they will automatically investigate it.
‘Procedures and processes are in place that kick in. That process kicked in 48 hours ago. A senior member of the board has been appointed to look into this and he will do so very thoroughly and then we will hear his verdict at the end of it. It’s as simple as that.’
It was David Madden, a former FA Cup finalist with Crystal Palace, who claimed this week that Bellamy should not be working with young players after seeing his son Alfie become ‘desperately unhappy’ under his management, calling for the coach to be investigated.
Dalman added: ‘Mr Madden can be assured that I, more than anyone else, would want that investigation done properly, and it will be.’