Australia boxing coach withdraws from Paris Games over sexual misconduct

MELBOURNE : Boxing Australia’s national head coach Jamie Pittman has withdrawn from the Paris Olympics after being sanctioned for incidents of sexual misconduct toward female athletes while on overseas camps.

The former Olympian was suspended for six months from his role by Australia's National Sports Tribunal (NST) following complaints brought by athletes and a team physiotherapist while on two team camps between July and October last year.

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) confirmed on Wednesday that Pittman would not travel to Paris for the July 26-August 11 Games.

Pittman, who boxed for Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympics before going professional, had also voluntarily stood down from the AOC's Indigenous Advisory Committee, it added in a statement.

The NST said in its written determination dated March 22 that Pittman, 42, had admitted to 11 different instances of misconduct, including making a series of lewd comments and sexually suggestive gestures around athletes.

He had also taken a photograph of a female athlete as she was bending over with her back to him while on an international flight and shown the picture to another athlete.

It said his conduct had been described as "disgusting", "shocking" and "offensive".

The NST said Pittman had accepted the findings of prohibited conduct and apologised for causing distress, and withdrawn his interest in attending the Paris Games.

The tribunal added he had been ordered to provide written apologies to two athletes and the team physiotherapist and attend counselling as directed by the governing Combat Institute of Australia.