Fresh sexual harassment claims have surfaced in Italian media about former Malta and Ascoli football coach Devis Mangia.
Jakub Jankto, a former Ascoli player, alleged on social media that Mangia tried to touch and invite a fellow player to his hotel room during a 2016 away match against Seria B team Novara.
Jankto did not name the player in question.
“He was doing it before and after training too. He was trying to do these things even though I don’t think anything actually happened, but it’s important to say it,” Jankto said,
The situation came to a head when the squad returned to Ascoli, according to Jankto.
“When we got back to Ascoli after the match, the sporting director found out through one of our players. He was told everything, and thank goodness they sacked him,” Jankto said.
Mangia’s departure from Ascoli was announced soon after, due to “health reasons”.
According to Italian media, there were reports of complaints from the squad about the coach’s behaviour at the time.
Jankto noted in a social media video that Mangia went on to face similar claims in both Malta and Romania.
Mangia’s time as Malta’s national coach came to an end in 2022 after two national team players reported him for improper conduct.
He was immediately suspended, pending an investigation, and the case was referred to the police. Mangia resigned soon after.
A subsequent probe by the Malta Football Association (MFA)’s safeguarding board found him guilty of improper conduct but not sexual harassment.
It found sufficient evidence to support the allegation of improper conduct but not enough to back the claim of sexual harassment.
Mangia denied all claims of misconduct.
In a statement announcing the findings, the MFA said that no evidence had been found to support the allegations of sexual harassment against Mangia.
“The board did not find sufficient evidence to support the allegation of sexual harassment and grooming,” the statement said.
However, “the board did find sufficient evidence to support the allegation of improper conduct”.
It said Mangia will be temporarily suspended from any football activity in Malta until he enrols in a course on professional boundaries.
Mangia was appointed Malta national team head coach in 2019 and has overseen a rare positive streak in Malta’s national football team performances, lifting the team from 184th in the FIFA World Rankings to 169.