The former football coach is said to have touched seven girls and even had sex with a 15-year-old. “He had power over the players. You couldn’t do that better,” said the public prosecutor about abuse of power. The Viennese women’s trainer does not have to be legally imprisoned for that reason.
He made all the decisions related to the team and thus the future of the girls. That is exactly what the Viennese women’s coach used as a means of pressure. The young footballers would have tolerated grabs between the legs, on the breasts and inappropriate comments.
According to the OM, the 40-year-old abused the relationship of authority with the players: “For many of these girls, football was the most important part of their lives!”
Touches were “accidental”.
Everything made up and lied when it comes to the former women’s and girls’ trainer in the Vienna court. The victims are angry because they were not good enough and were no longer used in the games. There would have been a few touches, but most of them unintentional. They were by no means sexual in nature.
The trained media technician only admits to “harmlessly clapping the buttocks when changing” – common in the sport if it’s up to him. From 2014 he worked at First Vienna FC as a coach of the women’s and girls’ teams.
‘He entered the locker room when we were naked, looked in the shower’
However, on the days of the trial, rows of young women entered the courtroom and all agreed, “There were these unpleasant touches.” He also allegedly saw them naked while showering and in the changing rooms.
“The defendant is lucky that everyone was over 14 years old, otherwise we would be here before a lay judge with a sentence of 10 years,” the prosecutor recalled at the end. Abusing the relationship of authority would be clear: “You can’t do better!” As a football coach, he had power over the girls.
Not only criminal, but very questionable in character
She also recalls that “butt-clatter” isn’t common in sports: “He also trained guys and that didn’t happen there.” According to the public prosecutor, his behavior is not only punishable, but also very questionable in character. The victims’ representative also appealed: “He is simply no longer allowed to approach young women as a trainer!”
What his lawyer can already anticipate: activity ban or not, “he will never work as a trainer again”. Even if he would have been very successful in this profession. “But what did he do wrong? He went way too far. He didn’t keep the necessary distance,” the lawyer admits, but does not see the accused assault fulfilled: “As such a villain that you absolutely have to lock him up, so I don’t see him.’
Judge Stefan Apostol sees it differently and sentences the 40-year-old to a partial sentence for alleged abuse of authority. Five of the 20 months must be served. The verdict is not final.
The allegations only became loud in 2022. The club itself then made the matter public and campaigned for full clarification under the direction of women’s sports director Nina Burger.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
