Australian boxing coach Jamie Pittman has pulled out of the Paris Olympics after being accused of a string of sexual misconduct offences against female fighters.
The former professional boxer allegedly committed 11 offences during three trips with Aussie boxing teams between July and October last year and has been served with a breach notice by the Combat Institute of Australia for abuse, bullying and sexual misconduct.
Australia’s National Sports Tribunal heard shocking evidence against the 42-year-old at a hearing three weeks ago, News Corp reported.
It’s alleged that Pittman took a photo of a female fighter from behind as she bent over, then showed it to another team member, claimed to be in love with a boxer who’s more than 20 years younger than him, and told a male fighter, ‘You need to f**k more women to become more of a man.’
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A tribunal recommended boxing coach Jamie Pittman (pictured) be suspended for six months after hearing damning accusations against him
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The former Olympian and highly regarded professional fighter (pictured during his world title loss in 2008) allegedly engaged in ‘shocking, gross and inappropriate’ sexual behaviour
He is also alleged to have said, ‘How f**king hot are some of the girls in here,’ at an October 2023 team camp in Italy and telling a fighter, ‘Yummy, yes please’ when a female boxer walked past him.
Pittman is also accused of saying, ‘I wish I was that age again … get pushed around in a pram all day and suck ti**ies’ when a woman walked past with a baby, and giving an athlete a ‘lap dance’ while she was using an exercise machine.
Australian fighters have branded his behaviour ‘shocking, gross and inappropriate’, according to evidence before the hearing.
The Combat Institute called the former professional fighter ‘puerile’ and said he made boxers and support staff feel ‘confused, bewildered and uncomfortable’.
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Pittman (pictured right while coaching) allegedly took an inappropriate photo of a female team member and made comments that made others feel ‘confused, bewildered and uncomfortable’
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The 42-year-old has been ordered to write apologies to his alleged victims
Pittman was ordered to make written apologies to those affected, undergo counselling and be reprimanded by the tribunal, which called for him to be suspended for six months.
Confronted with the accusations, Pittman told the publication he will not attend the Paris Games in July in order ‘to focus on my role’ as Futures coach.
‘It’s all in there for you to read,’ Pittman said of the tribunal’s findings when he was asked if he disputes the allegations.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Pittman and the National Sports Tribunal for comment.
The Queenslander represented Australia at the 2004 Olympics and 2002 Commonwealth Games, and won gold at the 2003 Commonwealth Boxing Championships as an amateur.
He racked up a record of 22 wins – eight by knockout – and three losses as a professional, won the Australian super middleweight belt and lost to Felix Sturm by TKO when he fought for the WBA world middleweight title in 2008.
