Zambia’s soccer affiliation on Friday expressed “surprise” at claims its girls’s coach abused a squad member on the present World Cup, after FIFA launched an investigation into what it referred to as an “allegation of misconduct”. According to a report within the Guardian newspaper, Zambian coach Bruce Mwape is accused of rubbing a participant’s breasts after a coaching session.

“We can confirm that a complaint has been received in relation to the Zambian women’s national team and this is currently being investigated,” a FIFA spokesperson mentioned, with out specifying the character of the grievance.

“FIFA takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process in place for anyone in football who wants to report an incident.”

Zambia have been eradicated on the group stage of the event in Australia and New Zealand and at the moment are again dwelling.

Zambia’s girls’s soccer arrange has been tormented by allegations of improper conduct.

When reviews of misbehaviour surfaced on-line final yr, the Football Association of Zambia opened an investigation.

It will not be clear what the probe discovered, or whether or not any motion was taken.

At press conferences in the course of the World Cup, Mwape was repeatedly requested concerning the allegations, which he referred to as “fake” whereas dismissing solutions he ought to resign.

“What are you talking about? I would like to know because there is no way I can retire without reason” he instructed reporters.

“Maybe your reason is because what you are reading from the media or from the press, but the truth of the matter should actually come out, not just on rumours.”

New Zealand Police mentioned they “were made aware of an alleged incident” in the course of the World Cup however after preliminary enquiries determined “no further action was required to be taken”.

Despite police and FIFA involvement, the Football Association of Zambia denied data of any latest grievance from gamers or its travelling delegation.

The organisation mentioned in an announcement that it had “come as a surprise for us to hear of such alleged misconduct by the coach”, including that it had demanded “the highest standards of integrity and transparency” from gamers and employees.

The soccer affiliation additionally mentioned all coaching classes had been filmed by its media group and a FIFA crew, and it had seen no proof of any incident.

It added that it might take disciplinary motion “once we are in receipt of an official complaint or presented with evidence”.

Sanctions

There have been a collection of sexual assault scandals in girls’s soccer in latest occasions, notably in Gabon, Haiti, the United States and Afghanistan.

FIFA this yr toughened its disciplinary proceedings for sexual assault or harassment in a revised Code of Ethics.

It eliminated the 10-year limitation interval on prosecuting sexual offences and obliges “member associations and confederations to notify FIFA of any decisions rendered on sexual abuse”.

FIFA harassed Friday that any allegations of abuse have been dealt with within the strictest confidence.

“Where guilt is established, FIFA takes the strongest possible sanctions, including removing people from the game for life. Our track record demonstrates this,” it mentioned.

Zambia suffered heavy defeats to Spain and Japan earlier than successful their first-ever World Cup match, downing Costa Rica 3-1.

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