Portuguese coach suspended after harassment accusations

LISBON, Portugal: Portuguese soccer club Famalicão suspended the coach of its women’s team on Friday after a leading newspaper in Portugal published accusations of verbal sexual harassment by him of his players at a previous club. Famalicão said that “in view” of the report published by Público newspaper that they were suspending coach Miguel Afonso “until the truth of the facts is ascertained.” The club said they were putting themself at the “total disposition of all parties involved and the competent authorities to assist in obtaining the truth.” The alleged verbal harassment of players, some of which were 19 years old at the time, reportedly took place while Afonso coached fellow Portuguese club Rio Ave during the 2020-21 season.

Público said that it had contacted Afonso but he declined to comment on the accusations. In a statement, Rio Ave acknowledged that they had been “aware of some circumstantial comments reported by athletes regarding alleged inappropriate approaches by the coach.” But, Rio Ave said they took no action because “the coach denied such situations and, at the request of the athletes, the matter was not followed up.” Famalicão, in a separate statement preceding the suspension of Afonso, said that when they hired Afonso they were not aware of the accusations.