'Misconduct' by U17 Coach; Spotlight on Safety and Health of National Athletes

Alex Ambrose, assistant coach with the India Under-17 women's football team, was suspended and called back from Norway for alleged "misconduct" involving at least one minor player during the current training and exposure tour to Europe. The Committee of Administrators (CoA), which is managing the affairs of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), said in a press release that the "Federation has provisionally suspended the individual pending further investigation". Considering the seriousness of the matter, 420 Grams presents the picture that has developed so far, respecting the privacy of the player involved, as well as the fact that the incident is under investigation. Even as we await that, 420 Grams' Siddhanth Aney and journalists Jaydeep Basu and Leslie Xavier talk about structural issues in the game in India and the need for serious efforts to be made to ensure these incidents do not occur. And when they do, those victims have means to seek justice, without fear of the impact speaking out will have on their careers and lives.