Former Newcastle United under-23s coach Peter Beardsley has been suspended for 32 weeks by the Football Association for bullying English-Moroccan footballer Yasin Ben El-Mhanni.
According to Reuters, the manager has been suspended since January for intimidating the midfielder who was 22 years old at the time.
El-Mhanni joined Newcastle United in July 2016. In January 2018, he filed a complaint against the coach, accusing him of bullying him. He then joined Scrunthorpe United Football club.
«The FA alleged that Mr Beardsley used abusive and/or insulting words, which were contrary to FA Rule E3(1) and constituted an 'aggravated breach'... due to reference of ethnic origin and/or color and/or race and/or nationality, while employed as a coach of the club's Under-23s team», the same source stated.
Although the 58-year-old coach denied all accusations, FA stressed that the «claims were proven based on findings of the club's disciplinary proceedings», Reuters concluded.