Top national sports coach probed after girls’ sex claims
A high-profile national sports coach is under police investigation following allegations of sexual violations against young girls.
Members of the sporting community he has been part of for more than a decade have told the Herald they are angry he was allowed to coach age-group teams despite “lots of rumours” about his behaviour.
Until recently the man, who cannot be named yet for legal reasons, was contracted by a sporting body to coach national age-group teams.
His wide-ranging CV also includes stints as coach for several clubs in the upper North Island and several high schools, including a prominent girlsonly college.
A source confirmed the man was under investigation by police after a number of allegations were made.
The investigation is in its early stages and no charges have been laid.
Police refused to be drawn on the matter, saying they never commented or confirmed whether specific individuals were under investigation for privacy reasons.
The source said there were “quite a few potential complainants to talk to” and each person police approached had offered up further names of potential victims.
The man was recently about to travel overseas as coach of a national teenage age-group boys’ team when he was stopped from boarding at the airport by the sporting body’s chief.
The man’s phone appears to be disconnected and he did not respond to email requests for comment.
It is understood an immediate suspension letter was drafted after a parent of a player the man had coached had complained to Crimestoppers and had threatened to go to the media.
“[The chief executive] then rushed out to the airport with the suspension notice and he was hauled off the trip,” a source said.
The chief executive, who also cannot be named at this stage, told the Herald his organisation no longer employed or contracted the man.
He refused to detail what the man is accused of but defended his organisation, saying they acted swiftly once allegations came to light.
A source said allegations against the man had been common knowledge in his sporting community for some time and the organisation had taken too long to act.
“[The organisation] had some idea of what he was doing, but they basically tried to wash it under the carpet.
“I’m really pissed off. They did know that there was some issue with him at least back in May if not years ago — they decided there was no evidence and they would carry on employing him.”
The chief executive disputed that, saying his organisation worked swiftly and in accordance with fair and correct process, despite limited information available to them.
“A formal complaint was received by [the organisation] about one of its independent contractors at 2.15pm on 11 July, 2019, and the complainant said that they could provide evidence to back up their allegation,” the chief executive said. “[The organisation] had first been made aware of a potential issue on June 2, 2019.
“However, this was not substantiated by any complaint being lodged or evidence provided despite several attempts by [the organisation] through the next month to obtain both of these.”
After an internal investigation, which the chief executive said included “some evidence” to support the complaint, the man’s contract was terminated on July 19.