The former mentor of Jessica Ennis -Hill, Toni Minichiello, has returned controversial to training, despite having been forbidden for life by the athletics of the United Kingdom.
Minichiello, who guided Ennis-Hill to Glory in London 2012, was forbidden to receive a coach from the United Kingdom never again after a 2022 investigation discovered that “he participated in physical sexual behavior” with athletes, including the “unwanted touch.”
However, the sanction does not prevent Minichiello working abroad and has now been linked to the Polish heptatleta Adrianna Sułek-Schubert.
The coach born in Sheffield was seen in the stands in the combined events Copnicus Cup in Torun, Poland, on Sunday, where his new athlete was second in the inner pentathlon.
Marek Plawgo, vice president of the Polish Athletics Association (PZLA), said in a statement: 'Pzla declares that Adrianna Sułek-Schubert made the decision to cooperate with Toni Minichiello in a completely independent way. Coach Minichiello is not funded by Pzla.
His 18-year-old, has previously won a silver in the heptatlon in the European Championship of 2022 and a silver in the Pentathlon in the 2022 Indoor World Championship.
Minichiello was Jessica Ennis-Hill's coach when she won the Gold of heptatlon in London 2012
He was expelled from athletics after “participating in sexual behavior” with athletes
The Polish heptatleta Adrianna Sułek-Schubert was shy when asked about her new coach
He gave birth to his first child last February and returned in six months to compete in the heptatlon at the Paris Olympics, where he finished 12th with 6,226 points.
Minichiello told Mail Sport that Sułek-Schubert contacted him asking for his experience, since he had helped Ennis-Hill to win the 2015 world title only one year after she gave birth.
“She sent me a text message and said:” Can you help me? “Minchiello explained. '
'She is a talented person. If you place the base correctly, it is an athlete at the podium level. She is an adult and is able to decide where it takes advice and consequences.
I think he will continue. It would be good to obtain a contract.
The new Minichiello Association with itsłek-Schubert means that it could now face British athletes in the next international events.
The post was lost the qualification for the European Indoor championship next month and is not pointing to the world indoors, but hopes to appear in the World Outdoor Championship in Tokyo in September.
Minichiello, however, could be denied the accreditation of the event by world athletics given UKA's findings against him in 2022.
“World Athletics has the ability to deny accreditation to any of its events in the World Athletics Series in case it is necessary,” said a spokesman for World Athletics to Mail Sport.
Minichiello was appointed coach of the year at the BBC's sports personality awards in 2012 after the Ennis-Hill gold medal in London, which he supported with a silver in Rio 2016.
The former Ennis-Hill coach could be denied accreditations in the World Outdoor Championship in Tokyo in September, with hisłek-schubert (not in the photo) with the hope of appearing in the event
He was appointed coach of the year at the sports personality awards of the BBC year in 2012
However, it emerged in 2021 that it had been suspended by UKA pending an investigation after the complaints of female athletes about their behavior.
In August 2022, Minichiello was declared guilty of 11 serious positions, including imitating sexual activity and touching the breasts of an athlete, as well as bullying and mental abuse.
While Minichiello's training license had already expired, so technically could not be subject to a sanction, UKA said that there would never be a moment in the future in which it would be appropriate to issue that license. “
After the result of the investigation, Minichiello said: “I cannot completely express my disappointment with this decision and with the unfair management of this process of athletics of the United Kingdom of this process.” I firmly deny all the charges made against me.
“I have been a coach for more than 30 years and, although I have been robust and demanding, I have not behaved inappropriately with any of my athletes like many of them would confirm.”
Ennis-Hill said at that time that the news about his former coach was “shocking and annoying.” She added: “The accusations are horrible and, although I was never at the receiving end of any sexual sexual behavior, any behavior or language so inappropriate does not take place in any training or work environment.”
Minichiello was accused of violating his ban in 2023 when he was seen talking with other coaches and athletes inside at the English Sports Institute in Sheffield. He was later sanctioned by the Sheffield City Trust, the place operator.
The Athletics of the United Kingdom declined to comment.