He has a ban on work in his home country
The controversial trainer is back – “absolutely problematic”
02/22/2025 – 12:06 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Toni Minichiello once coached an athlete for Olympic gold and became the coach of the year in the United Kingdom. But several alleged crossing of border changed his career. Now he’s back.
The most controversial comeback in athletics is that of Toni Minichiello. The former success coach of the British Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill is now a coach of the Polish heptalist Adrianna Sułek-Schubert. The United Kingdom Athletics Association (UK Athletics) had blocked Minichiello in 2022. An investigation had shown that he had sexually attacked several athletes, including “unwanted touch”.
Minichiello was not convicted in court, which is why there was initially no penalties in addition to a ban on a professional ban from the UK Athletics. At the Copernicus Cup in the Polish city of Toruń, he was on the side of Adrianna Sułek-Schubert for the first time last week.
Marek Plawgo, Vice President of the Polish Athletics Association (PZLA), said in a statement: “The PZLA said that Adrianna Sułek-Schubert made the decision to work with Toni Minichiello. Trainer Minichiello is not financed by the PZLA.”
The return of the controversial coach is badly absorbed by the competition. The Norwegian pole vault trainer Atle Guttormsen criticized the Norwegian TV broadcaster NRK: “In view of what it was blocked in British sport, he should not be allowed to work as a coach elsewhere.” The general secretary of the Norwegian athletics association, Kjetil Hildeskor, also finds that Minichiello received a job.
Atle Guttormsen calls for the world association. “It is generally problematic that there are no clearer rules of World Athletics,” said the pole vault coach. So far, however, the World Association has decided against intervention.
That is why Minichiello could be there in Toruń. The contact was made according to his version on Sułek-Schuberts. “She sent me an SMS and asked: ‘Can you help me?'”, Quoters the “Daily Mail”. “I flew to Poland for three weeks to advise them and support them with my experience and knowledge when I come back.”
Cooperation should be long -term when it comes to Minichiello. “It would be nice to get a contract,” he said.