A former player of the SCR Altach women’s football team has voiced her dismay over a court ruling that handed a man a seven-month suspended prison sentence and fined him £1,046 (€1,200) for secretly taking photos and videos of players in changing rooms and showers.

The man in question, a former high-ranking Swiss referee, faced allegations of using a hidden smartphone and filming through a keyhole to capture images of the young women during his tenure at the Austrian club.

The illicit recordings and photographs featured approximately 30 players, with ages ranging from those born in 2007 to those born in 1995, according to reports.

This scandal has sent ripples through Austrian football, drawing over 100 spectators to the courtroom in Feldkirch, a town situated near the Swiss border. Although the defendant conceded to the ruling, there remains a possibility of an appeal, as the public prosecutor is yet to finalize her decision on the matter.

Eleni Rittmann, a 25-year-old former player for the top-tier Austrian team, expressed her outrage through a social media post.

Eleni Rittmann, 25, who played for the top-flight Austrian team at the time, posted an outraged statement on social media

“This leaves me speechless,” Rittmann commented, despite not being among the players identified in the confiscated footage.

‘The perpetrator was not only a top-level referee in Switzerland but also an official at Altach. And that is where he filmed players, including minors. I then ask myself, is this an appropriate punishment?

‘I also ask myself, does such a punishment act as a deterrent for others? We felt secure in our dressing room and this hurt our privacy so badly that some of us do not feel safe in public showers even now. 

‘For me this is not a strong enough signal for something that is not tolerated in our society. The verdict is not final as the prosecutor has requested additional time to consider an appeal.’

During the trial, a statement from the victims was read out, saying: ‘We are young women, partly still young girls. What has happened has pulled the rug from under our feet. For years he told us that the dressing room was our home but this home was then destroyed by someone who we thought was part of this family.’

A lawyer for the victims called the case a ‘catastrophe for women’s football’. 

Austrian sports minister Michaela Schmidt labelled the alleged crimes ‘disgusting’ in October when they were first reported. ‘If female athletes are not even safe in their own dressing rooms because of an official then they have nothing to stand on,’ Schmidt said.

At the beginning of the trial the defendant said: ‘I plead partially guilty.’

It remains unclear whether the images were disseminated. The defence lawyer said it had been established that the photos and videos had not been transferred to a third party and they now will be destroyed.

In his final words, the defendant addressed the victims to apologise. He said: ‘I agree with the statements made by my lawyer, but I would still like to express my sympathy to all those affected and apologise for my actions.’

The court mitigated the sentence by taking into account his partial confession and his lack of previous convictions.

SCR Altach told Daily Mail Sport that pre-trial they had hosted an information evening for potentially affected players – including parents where minors were involved – where they communicated the facts known about the case at the time. Players were put in touch with legal services, a psychologist, a victim protection organisation, internal club contacts and and the State Criminal Police Office.

Where players felt unsafe in their own apartments, the club organised alternative accommodation for them.

The club have also worked to increase the female presence within the support staff of the women’s team. A female assistant coach was integrated into the coaching team during the winter break, while a female point of contact within the administrative office to address players’ concerns was also designated.

Daily Mail Sport have contacted the Austrian FA for comment.