According to SAI, the plaintiff was “immediately” sent to India “to protect her safety,” with the name of the Indian female cyclist in Slovenia still unknown
To investigate the accusation, the SAI and the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) have constituted two independent investigative panels.
Indian Woman Cyclist Reports Coach RK Sharma Forced Her To Have Sex And Become His Wife, Cycling Team Called Back From Tour In Slovenia
SAI calls Indian contingent back from Slovenia after woman cyclist alleges 'inappropriate behaviour' against coach
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/qQrFGpkG8H#SAI #cycling #Slovenia #India #coach pic.twitter.com/JBc7AEr4OM
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) June 8, 2022
According to authorities, a top Indian lady cyclist accused national sprint team chief coach R K Sharma of “inappropriate behaviour” at training in Slovenia. According to the Indian Express, the complaint was sent in an email to SAI (Sports Authority of India).
Our sportspersons are excelling but such incidents are unacceptable. We called back woman athlete & coach & enquiry was initiated against him. There's s no scope for it: Union min Anurag Thakur on complaint by Indian woman cyclist on coach's inappropriate behaviour in Slovenia pic.twitter.com/ZPU5qkbOqz
— ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2022
According to SAI, the complainant was “immediately” sent to India “to ensure her safety.” To investigate the accusation, the SAI and the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) have constituted two independent investigative committees.
The CFI identified the complainant and the coach in a statement, saying that its officials “stand with the complainant.”
SAI acknowledged in a second statement that it “received a complaint from a cyclist of improper behaviour by a coach at a foreign exposure camp in Slovenia.” “Following the athlete’s allegation, SAI promptly returned her to India to guarantee her safety and formed a committee to investigate the matter,” it stated, adding that the “problem is being handled (with) on priority and would be dealt with quickly.”
The Indian squad was in Slovenia to practise for the Asian Championship, which will be contested in New Delhi from June 18 to 22. The coach and the remaining Indian cyclists are scheduled to return to India on June 14. Sharma has been a member of the team since 2014. For the past eight years, the former Air Force HR official has been involved with India’s junior and senior cycling programmes.
The coach was hired based on the Cycling Federation of India’s suggestion, SAI said.
The CFI stated that the “decision of the SAI-formed committee would have the full backing of the federation.” CFI secretary-general Maninder Pal Singh, Kerala cycling president SS Sudesh Kumar, Maharashtra coach Dipali Nikam, and CFI assistant secretary V N Singh make up the federation’s investigation team.
On the Slovenia trip, there were no female coaches.
The cyclist, a member of the elite Target Olympic Podium Scheme, initially notified Olympic Gold Quest before filing a complaint with TOPS CEO Commodore PK Garg.
The Indian endurance contingent, comprised of five men and one female cyclist, was due to return from Slovenia on June 14. SAI has decided to cut short the training tour, according to Cycling Federation of India (CFI) Chairman Onkar Singh.
“An SAI official phoned CFI this morning and told us that the entire group, including coach RK Sharma, will be called back immediately from Slovenia,” Singh explained. According to reports, SAI also sent a separate message to coach Sharma asking that he return as soon as possible.
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