A shocking misconduct case has rocked English women’s football. A former fourth-tier coach handed a lengthy ban after the Football Association upheld disturbing allegations.
The FA has banned the former coach from all football-related activity for 12 years. He was found guilty of sending explicit messages, images, and videos to players and a member of staff.
The details emerged in an FA document published following a misconduct hearing last month.
According to the ruling (via The BBC), Ryan Hamilton used social media platforms Snapchat and WhatsApp to send pictures of his genitals and videos of himself masturbating.
Moreover, he repeatedly suggested performing sexual acts with players. This includes making references to doing so in changing rooms and club offices.
However, the misconduct did not stop there. The FA panel also found that Hamilton adopted a verbally aggressive and bullying management style.
He was accused of belittling and humiliating individuals to the point where some players no longer wished to represent the club.
Five women, including four players, came forward in October 2024 with what the FA described as “credible and compelling evidence” covering a two-year period.
Meanwhile, Hamilton denied acting inappropriately but failed to engage fully with the FA investigation and ended his interview part-way through.
The regulatory commission stated that Hamilton had shown “no introspection, contrition or remorse” and had “absolutely no insight into the effect of his conduct.”
As a result, 23 of 24 charges of improper conduct were proven. Panel chair Jane Bickerstaff KC described Hamilton as being in a “position of trust” with “power and responsibility over the players,”
But he misused in a “misogynistic and sexually inappropriate” way. She added that the only appropriate sanction was an immediate suspension from all football activity.
Hamilton left Sutton Coldfield Town Women in November 2024. The case has now been closed. But the ban sends a clear message that such behaviour has no place in football.
Disclaimer: This article includes sensitive content which may be upsetting for some readers.
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