India Women Under-17 team assistant coach Alex Ambrose has been sacked for sexual misconduct, SY Quraishi, a member of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) overseeing the All India Football Federation (AIFF), revealed.

“Alex Ambrose, Asstt Head Coach of Under 17 Women’s team has been sacked for sexual misconduct. Further action under process,” Quraishi tweeted on Sunday morning.

The coach’s misconduct with a minor player was reported during India’s ongoing exposure trip to Europe. Ambrose is also a former India player.

“The AIFF had asked Ambrose to meet on Monday but he said he would be busy for the next few days. That probably did not go down well with the federation,” someone in the know of things said.

The AIFF in its June 30 statement did not mention the name of the offender or specify the offence.

“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,” said the AIFF.

India will host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup later this year in October. The matches will take place in three cities — Bhubaneswar, Margao and Navi Mumbai — from October 11 to 30. India have been clubbed with the US, Morocco and Brazil in Group A of the tournament. Swede Thomas Dennerby is the coach.

Ex-player’s demise

Former goalkeeper EN Sudhir, who represented India in the 1970s, died in Mapusa, Goa, on Sunday. He was in his early 70s. Sudhir is survived by a son and daughter. The AIFF, in a message, has condoled his demise.