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7th September 2023
02:49pm BST
Manchester United have been forced to apologise after they invited a convicted paedophile to a fixture at Old Trafford last year.
United were allegedly unaware that women's coach Geoff Konopka - who was in charge of the club's women's team from 1983 until 2001 - had been jailed.
Konopka was sentenced to four years in prison in 2011 after being convicted of indecent assault and gross indecency against girls aged under 16 and 14, as per The Times.
He was also put on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.
A statement to the paper said: "Manchester United has recently received information around these convictions, and as a matter of urgency has been in contact with the relevant legal and football authorities to substantiate the facts.
"The club has taken appropriate action after receiving this information and will have no further connection with the individual. Manchester United expresses its heartfelt sympathy to the victims and all those affected by these abhorrent crimes."
Last year, Konopka was invited as a guest of honour during United women's league fixture against Everton that was attended by thousands of children and which celebrated his career in women's football.
United even commemorated him by featuring him in the Old Trafford museum despite the Football Association's safeguarding system imposing an "active suspension" on Konopka, banning him from coaching or working with any team.
The club have confirmed that they have now cut all ties with the 79-year-old and have reportedly contacted the legal and football authorities "as a matter of urgency".
Former players of United have also demanded an apology for portraying the disgraced coach as a "hero" and even described the club as a "misogynistic" and "woman-hating club".
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