A veteran county cricket coach was banned from the sport for nine months after he pleaded guilty to serious sexual misconduct charges. The ruling was made by the independent Cricket Discipline Panel to deal with improper conduct within its ranks. The coach's suspension is the result of a series of events in both 2023 and 2024, when the unidentified coach sent two unsolicited sexual photos to junior female colleagues. The coach had pleaded guilty to five violations of the sport's professional conduct rules. Significantly, the disciplinary panel chose not to disclose the man's identity because of exceptional health reasons and fears for a serious risk of harm in the event of disclosure. The report by the panel disclosed alarming information regarding the coach's behavior, such as when he tried to kiss one of the complainants in a club changing room. One of the women was considerably younger than the coach and junior in her role compared to him. Also Read | Watch: Ervine Juggles and Grabs Stunning Slip Catch to Dismiss Ravindra As a direct result of his behavior, the coach was ousted from his position and has not participated in cricket since. His nine-month suspension consists of six months that date back to the point when the charges were issued, in addition to three months suspended. In addition, he must undergo a compulsory education course. In his submissions to the panel, the coach apologized for his actions and stated he was actively trying to understand the harm caused. According to the report, he worked with a former professional sportswoman and completed an educational program on workplace boundaries, misusing social media, and sexual harassment. He also spoke about the courage of the women who came forward. Meanwhile, Chris Haward, the managing director of the Cricket Regulator, condemned the behavior. "This kind of conduct is unacceptable. Where such instances are identified they will be investigated and those responsible will be held to account. Removing sexual misconduct from the game is a priority for the cricket regulator. We recognise that it takes a lot of courage for those impacted to come forward. We are committed to investigating thoroughly and expeditiously when allegations are raised with us, whether current or in the past," she said as quoted by BBC Sport.