New Zealand's Olympic pole vault coach Jeremy McColl has been suspended for 10 years for "serious misconduct" ©NZOC

New Zealand’s Olympic pole vault coach Jeremy McColl has been banned from athletics for 10 years after an investigation found he had committed serious misconduct, including harassment and inappropriate sexual remarks to athletes who were minors.

McColl, who guided Eliza McCartney to an Olympic bronze medal at Rio 2016, was stood down by New Zealand Athletics last month while an independent investigator assessed several complaints against him, Reuters reports.

Governing body Athletics NZ announced the investigation had found McColl had made inappropriate comments to athletes in training sessions and via social media and text messages.

"Aggravating features of the conduct included that communication with athletes included inappropriate sexual references and that a number of the athletes were minors," Athletics NZ said in a statement.

It added that McColl cooperated with the investigation and, following receipt of its findings, tendered his resignation.

"I unreservedly apologise for the harm caused to these athletes and recognise that my conduct was not in line with Athletics NZ’s policies or rules and was harmful and inappropriate," McColl said in the Athletics NZ statement.


New Zealand's pole vault coach Jeremy McColl, left, had coached Eliza McCartney, right, to an Olympic bronze medal at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images
New Zealand's pole vault coach Jeremy McColl, left, had coached Eliza McCartney, right, to an Olympic bronze medal at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Athletics NZ promised it would cooperate with any further investigation, including by police, but would not disclose the names of the complainants for confidentiality reasons.


The body also apologised to the athletes for the "harm they have suffered while training" under McColl.

"Athletics NZ recognises the courage of the athletes who came forward to raise their concerns in this case," it said.

The ban will prevent the pole vault guru being an accredited coach or a member of an affiliated club.

The former gymnast is the only specialist pole vault coach in the country having built the national programme from scratch after investing his own money to buy a set of poles for his athletes.

Jeremy McColl, right, had invested in his own money in building a pole vault programme in New Zealand ©iSport Foundation
Jeremy McColl, right, had invested in his own money in building a pole vault programme in New Zealand ©iSport Foundation

McColl did not accompany McCartney and his other top-ranked athlete, Olivia McTaggart, to Europe last month as the pair prepare for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. 

The other vaulters within McColl’s group have included surprise 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Imogen Ayris and top men’s exponents James Steyn and Nick Southgate.

Recently McColl has had less day-to-day involvement with McCartney’s programme after she overhauled her team in late 2021 following a run of chronic injuries that kept her out of elite competition for four years.

It is understood Athletics NZ has also informed the sport’s governing body, World Athletics, of the suspension.