Azkals coach defends players vs sexual harassment complaint

MANILA, Philippines – Azkals head coach Michael Weiss has broken his silence regarding his players accused of sexual harassment.

On Wednesday, March 7, according to a report on InterAKTV, Weiss texted News5 saying former Philippine Olympic Committee President Cristy Ramos –  who filed the complaint – misinterpreted the actions of his players.

Weiss bemoaned the negative attention targeted toward the Azkals.

“Even if she felt harassed, which was clearly based on misinterpretation from her side, the matter could have been solved elegantly amongst sportsmen before creating unnecessary public waves before the tournament,” the text reportedly read.

Weiss and the Azkals are in Nepal to compete at the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup.

The German coach expressed that the situation has been blown out of proportion, saying “out of a small fly, an elephant has been created…This has gone much too far.”

He said that the statements by Lexton Moy and Angel Guirado, the players named in the complaint, should help the public get a clearer picture of the incident.

Player statements

In the complaint, Ramos said Moy had made a comment about her bra size, while Guirado stood before her only in his underwear, when she entered the locker room to check the players as a FIFA Match Commissioner in the Azkals game against Malaysia, on February 29. Moy and Guirado’s behavior was met with laughter by their teammates.

Both Moy and Guirado, from Nepal, used Twitter to make their statements.

Moy said he was “deeply saddened” by the complaint, and promised to deal with the “sensitive situation” with professionalism and respect.

Guirado on the other hand denied he had been wearing briefs but shorts. He said Ramos should have asked permission to enter and because she did not, had he been in his underwear, she should have been ready for the consequence because he was getting ready to play. He also slammed the media for not getting his side before publishing the issue.

Ramos, the daughter of former president Fidel V. Ramos, maintains she knocked on the door before entering and said that in her years as a FIFA Match Commissioner, she has never been met with such “crude and totally shameful behaviour.”

Team captain James Younghusband, who was also mentioned in the complaint for allegedly not doing anything to stop Moy and Guirado’s actions, turned to Twitter as well to share his thoughts.

“Preparation in Nepal for AFC Challenge Cup has been going really well so far. Shame there is people back home trying to bring football down,” he tweeted. – Rappler.com