(Reuters) – New Zealand’s Olympic pole vault coach Jeremy McColl has been banned from athletics for 10 years after an investigation found he had committed serious misconduct, including harassment and inappropriate sexual remarks to athletes who were minors.
McColl, who guided Eliza McCartney to a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was stood down by New Zealand Athletics last month while an independent investigator assessed several complaints against him.
Governing body Athletics NZ said the investigation had found McColl had made inappropriate comments to athletes in training sessions and via social media and text messages.
“Aggravating features of the conduct included that communication with athletes included inappropriate sexual references and that a number of the athletes were minors,” Athletics NZ said in a statement.
It added that McColl cooperated with the investigation and, following receipt of its findings, tendered his resignation.
“I unreservedly apologise for the harm caused to these athletes and recognise that my conduct was not in line with Athletics NZ’s policies or rules and was harmful and inappropriate,” McColl said in the Athletics NZ statement.
Athletics NZ said it would cooperate with any further investigation, including by police, but would not disclose the names of the complainants for confidentiality reasons.
The body also apologised to the athletes for the “harm they have suffered while training” under McColl.
“Athletics NZ recognises the courage of the athletes who came forward to raise their concerns in this case,” it said.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
