Ex-Man Utd women’s manager is convicted paedo who was celebrated in club museum
Manchester United's former women's manager Geoff Konopka was celebrated in the club's museum – despite being a convicted paedophile.
Konopka was the manager of United Ladies between 1983 and 2001. But, in 2011, Konopka was sentenced to four years behind bars after he was found guilty of 19 offences of indecent assault and gross indecency against girls aged under 16 and 14.
And, according to The Times, Konopka attended a Women’s Super League match last season to watch United play Everton as a "special guest" – with thousands of kids in attendance.
United added they were unaware of Konopka's crimes, and say that if they had known, he wouldn't have been invited to the game.
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Konopka was also celebrated in the Old Trafford museum despite being on the sex offenders register.
United said in a statement: "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."
Members of the United Ladies team expressed their “shock” and “disgust” to The Times when they saw Konopka celebrated. An article online, that presented United Ladies as an early advocate of the women's game, delved into the success of "Konopka's Reds".
Konopka wasn't employed by United, and he was instead an unpaid volunteer, like all of those involved at the time. He left the role in 2001, ten years before the convictions.
United have now removed references to Konopka from the clubs channels. United Ladies dissolved in 2005, but Manchester United Women were re-formed in 2018 under the official umbrella of the club.
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