Jessica Ennis-Hill coach: Ennis-Hill and Toni Minichiello comment on ruling banning him for life

Toni Minichiello, who coached Ennis-Hill to Olympic glory in 2012, also shared a comment online defending himself against the allegations and accused the investigation of being “one-sided”.

On an instagram story, Ennis-Hill said: “Reading the news today about my former coach Toni Minichiello, it is both shocking and upsetting.

"The allegations are awful and although I was never on the receiving end of any sexual physical behaviour, any such inappropriate behaviour or language has no place in any coaching or work environment.

"Everyone should feel safe from any form of physical or mental abuse.”

Mr Minichiello was banned from athletics for life today, by UK Athletics, after an investigation found he engaged in "sexually physical behaviour" with athletes.

He was also found to have made inappropriate sexual references and gestures to athletes and engaged in "inappropriate and sometimes aggressive behaviour, bullying and emotional abuse".

The 56-year-old was found guilty, by an independent case-management group, 11 serious charges, including mimicking sexual activity and touching an athlete's breasts, and telling an athlete she could “suck my ****” if she did not continue to train.

In a statement, Mr Minichiello said: “I cannot fully express my disappointment with this decision and with UK Athletics' unfair handling of this process. I strongly deny all the charges against me.

“I have been a coach for over 30 years and while I have been robust and demanding, I have not behaved inappropriately towards any of my athletes as very many of them would confirm.

"From the beginning, I cooperated with UK Athletics and the appointed Independent Investigator. Unfortunately, the investigation was one-sided. For example, I offered to provide UK Athletics with the names and contact details of 80 witnesses, including my then current training group. UK Athletics declined the list of those witnesses.

"While repeatedly requesting details as to how the investigation was being conducted, this was only provided by UK Athletics in a witness statement shortly before the hearing of this matter, over a year after my provisional suspension, raising serious questions regarding my ability to gain a fair hearing.”

Mr Minichiello said the tribunal failed to engage with his evidence, which he says would have shown he was in a different country to one of the athletes in one of the most serious allegations.

He continued to say there was evidence of collusion against him in the hearing and witnesses were allowed to breach confidentiality and speak to one another during the course of the investigation, all of which the tribunal “failed to address”.

"It is very important that UK Athletics respond quickly and seriously to serious allegations of misconduct, especially when those allegations are made by young people. However, those investigations and tribunals need to be conducted carefully, with due process and fairly. I do not believe that I have been treated fairly in this instance.

"I would like to show my appreciation to the witnesses who came forward to support me, and also give my appreciation and complete understanding to the witnesses who wished to come forward to support me but were unable to do so being concerned by the possibility of negative repercussions for their future careers.”