A top cyclist has complained of “inappropriate behaviour” by Indian national team’s cycling coach R K Sharma, who allegedly forced himself into the room of the complainant, offering her a “post-training” massage, and asking her “to sleep with him”, the cyclist said, in her complaint emailed to the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The alleged incidents took place during the national team’s camp in Slovenia, earlier in May.
“He (R K Sharma) made comments like…I should behave like his wife as he’s extremely fond of me and wants me to be his wife,” the complainant said in her statement reported The Indian Express.
The coach also allegedly “forcefully” pulled her towards him, stating that he “wants her to be his wife”. The complaint alleges that when she resisted, the coach threatened to destroy her career by “removing her from the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE)”, and making sure she would “sell vegetables on the road”, the complainant added in her email, as reported by The Indian Express.
Also, as per the complainant, when she decided to quit the camp and return to India, Sharma called her family and asked them to get her married as she did not have a future in the sport.
Notably, the Indian endurance contingent, consisting of five males and a female, flew to Slovenia on May 15 and was scheduled to return on June 14. However, SAI has already called back the cyclist, who made the allegations and formed an enquiry committee to look into the matter.
“The Sports Authority of India has received a complaint from a cyclist regarding inappropriate behaviour by a coach during a foreign exposure camp in Slovenia. The coach was appointed on the recommendation of the Cycling Federation of India. Following the compliant by the athlete, SAI has immediately brought her back to India to ensure her safety and has also constituted a committee to investigate the matter. The matter is being dealt on priority and will be resolved shortly,” SAI said in a statement.
‘Coach asked her to share room with him’
The complainant claimed that the coach forced her to share a hotel room with him on the pretext that accommodation has been arranged on twin-sharing basis.
“I was scheduled to leave for the cycling training camp in Slovenia for the date 15 May 2022 to 14 June 2022. After all the logistical arrangements were made, to my sheer surprise and shock, three days before my scheduled travel date, I received a call from my coach R K Sharma telling me that I have to share the room at Hotel Balnea in Slovenia with him alone,” the complaint stated, The Indian Express reported.
“In my state of extreme confusion and anxiousness on losing the opportunity to train abroad and attend the camp, I thought I would reach Slovenia and try to request for alternate arrangements.”
Though, later on her request, SAI arranged for a separate single room for her but the coach did not take her to Germany for an event along with the other members of the contingent for putting up resistance.
However, it has come to light that SAI had actually arranged for a separate room for her because she was the only female member of the contingent and there was no need for her to share the room with anyone.
“SAI in its direction had beforehand said that the athlete in question will be given a single room as she was the only female member in the contingent,” a SAI source said.
SAI calls back entire Indian contingent from Slovenia
SAI has decided to call the entire Indian contingent back to the country. The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) Chairman Onkar Singh told PTI that SAI has made the decision to cut short the training trip.
“SAI official called up CFI this morning and said all the contingent including coach RK Sharma will be called back immediately from Slovenia,” Singh said.
It has been learnt that SAI also shot off a separate missive to coach Sharma to return as soon as possible. The training-cum-competition trip to Slovenia was arranged to help the Indian team prepare well for the Asian Track Cycling Championships, scheduled to be held in the national capital from June 18 to 22.
Now, coach Sharma will have to appear before a five-member inquiry panel, which will be headed by SAI’s internal sexual harassment committee head. The CFI has also formed a four-member committee to probe the matter and had promised complete backing to the victim.
The CFI’s panel includes secretary-general Maninder Pal Singh, SS Sudeesh Kumar (President, Kerala Cycling), Dipali Nikam (chief coach, Maharashtra cycling team) and assistant secretary VN Singh.
