Woman Cyclist Alleges 'Inappropriate Behaviour' By India Sprint Team Coach: NHRC Takes Suo Motu Cognisance

The National Human Rights Commission on Friday took suo motu cognizance of a media report wherein a top Indian woman cyclist has accused the national sprint team chief coach R K Sharma of "inappropriate behaviour" during a camp in Slovenia. According to reports, the complaint was submitted in an email sent to the Sports Authority of India (SAI). 

The complainant was "immediately" brought back to India "to ensure her safety", SAI said in a statement. The SAI and Cycling Federation of India (CFI) have formed two separate inquiry committees to look into the allegation.

Days after the filing of the complaint, the SAI terminated the contract of chief coach RK Sharma noting that 'prima facie, the case is established and the allegations of the athlete are found to be true.'

The NHRC in the statement published averred that the incident if found to be true amounts to a human rights violation of the victim sportsperson and accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Director General, Sports Authority of India, calling for a detailed report in the matter.

"The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to human rights violation of the victim sportsperson. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Director General, Sports Authority of India, calling for a detailed report in the matter. It should include the status of physical as well as mental health of the victim as well as action, if any, taken against the responsible officer including the coach concerned, within 4 weeks. The Commission would also like to know whether any specialized counseling has been provided to her by the authorities", the statement reads. 

Issuing the notices, the Commission has further observed that the Government of India has been sincerely focusing on optimum participation of women in every field including the sports, art and culture activities etc. 

The NHRC has further stated that it is 'strange' to know that instead of reining in the coach, the Sports Authority of India reportedly chose to bring the victim back to India thereby depriving her of training overseas for which she had been selected. 

Opining further that the right to dignity of the victim has been violated and that the incident squarely falls within the domain of the Sexual Harassment of Women at work place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013, the NHRC opined further, 

"The Right to Dignity of the victim has purported to have been violated, considering the fact coach and sportsperson is having fiduciary relation, where coach is reposed with the trust to look after the well being and welfare of the sportswoman. The Commission is also of the opinion that if the allegations mentioned in the news report are true and no action is taken by the authorities with regard to such incidents, other female sports persons will not only feel unsafe but will be reluctant to complain against perpetrators in future for fear that they may also be called back mid way during their training. The subject also falls under ambit of the Sexual Harassment of Women at work place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013, which categorically defines in its Section 2(o)(iv) that work place includes any sport institute, stadium, sports complex or competition or games venue, whether residential or not used for training, sports or other activities relating thereto. The SAI is, therefore, also under obligation to get the matter probed as per provisions of the Act."

Sharma, a retired Air Force HR manager, has been the national coach since 2014 and worked with several junior and senior cyclists during this period. Under him, the team travelled to Slovenia to prepare for the Asian Championship, which will be held in New Delhi from June 18 to 22.

However, the woman cyclist – the only woman travelling with the team – alleged in her complaint that Sharma forced her to stay in his room, offered her a "post-training massage", "forcefully" tried to pull her towards him, and asked her to "sleep with him" during the camp. She added that the coach told her he wanted her 'to be his wife'.

When she resisted, Sharma allegedly threatened to destroy her career by "removing her from the NCOE", and making sure she would "sell vegetables on the road". The cyclist quit the camp mid-way but before she left for India, Sharma called her family and asked them to get her married as she did not have a future in the sport, according to the complaint.