Toni Minichiello banned for life by UK Athletics over sexually inappropriate conduct

Toni Minichiello, the coach who guided Jessica Ennis-Hill to gold at the London 2012 Olympics, has been banned for life from training athletes after an investigation found he had engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviour, emotional abuse and bullying.

In a statement, UK Athletics said the findings of a disciplinary panel were “of the utmost seriousness”, and included gross breaches of trust by Minichiello which had led to severe consequences for the mental health and wellbeing of some of his athletes. The Guardian understands that Ennis-Hill is not one of those athletes.

Minichiello, who was suspended last year pending an investigation into complaints from multiple female athletes and coaches was found to have breached his coaching licence over a 15-year period in numerous ways by the Independent Case Management Group, including:

Making inappropriate sexual references and gestures to athletes, including mimicking “female genitalia and oral sex”, telling an athlete to “suck my ****” and frequently referring to his penis as his “spicy Italian sausage”

Failing to respect the athletes right to a private life by making intrusive enquiries and personal comments about their personal lives, including asking an athlete if she had “ever had sex while doing weights”

Engaging in sexually physical behaviour, namely inappropriate and unwanted touching of athletes to whom he owed a duty of care, including touching two athletes’ breasts and “dry humping” to mimic sexual activity.

Engaging in inappropriate and sometimes aggressive behaviour, bullying and emotional abuse including one athlete being made to sit with a cone on her head to mimic a dunce’s cap.

“They amount to a large number of breaches of the UKA coach licence terms over a