Brazilian professional soccer team Santos has announced the resignation of the head coach of its women’s soccer team amid reports of sexual harassment and workplace bullying.
According to AFP, the team released a statement the day before and officially announced that Clayton Lima was stepping down as head coach.
The move comes after the club received reports that some players had been groped and harassed by Lima during training.
In a letter obtained by Brazilian media outlet Globo, players accused Lima of inappropriate touching and sexually degrading attire.
Players reportedly complained of discomfort when he showed up to training in shorts and no underwear, sometimes leaving his genitals exposed.
He also made body-conscious comments and offensive jokes that led one player to consider extreme measures, Globo said.
According to Brazilian news portal UOL, 바카라사이트 Lima accepted the resignation but denied the allegations against him.
Lima, 49, is considered one of the greatest coaches in the team’s history, having won the 2009 and 2010 Copa Libertadores Femeninas, the most prestigious South American women’s soccer club competition in CONMEBOL.
He was also the head coach of the Brazilian women’s national team from 2008-2011.
Lima’s departure comes at a time when the global spotlight is shining on the plight of female soccer players who have been exposed to sexual harassment and other gender issues.
Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales sparked a global outcry last month when he unexpectedly kissed Henrique Hermoso, the player who won the 2023 Women’s World Cup, on the mouth.
Hermoso accused Rubiales of sexual assault on June 6, and Spanish prosecutors are conducting a preliminary investigation into whether the kiss could constitute a sex crime.
Coach Jorge Bilda, who led the team to the World Cup title but was criticized by players for his coercive coaching style, was also sacked by the Spanish Football Federation. 슬롯