Zero tolerance for sexual misconduct: NRAI Chief on case involving national coach

New Delhi, Jan 13 (PTI) Indian shooting federation chief Kalikesh Singh Deo says the body has a zero tolerance policy towards sexual misconduct and will extend full cooperation to the law enforcement agencies investigating the alleged sexual assault of a minor shooter by national coach Ankush Bhardwaj.

Pistol coach Bhardwaj, a resident of Mohali, has been booked under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for aggravated sexual assault and Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation.

The FIR has been registered by a 17-year-old shooter in Faridabad. Police said two teams from the crime unit and the women's police station are conducting raids to nab the accused.

"This is a very sensitive matter and, at NRAI (National Rifles Association of India), we take the greatest impetus and focus on ensuring that we provide a safe workplace and a safe performance environment for athletes," Deo told 'PTI Videos'.

According to the FIR, the minor shooter, who was training under Bhardwaj since August last year, alleged that the coach assaulted her in a hotel room after her event during the National Championships last month.

The victim has alleged that Bhardwaj threatened to sabotage her shooting career and harm her family if she spoke about the incident. But she eventually opened up about it to her mother earlier this month, leading to an FIR.

Deo said the federation acted promptly once it became aware of the case by suspending the coach.

"However, since the matter was directly reported to the police, the investigation is to be done by the police, and NRAI is completely committed to cooperating with the investigation as and when required by the investigating authorities," he said.

The NRAI president reiterated that the federation has institutional mechanisms in place under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act.

"We have an Internal Complaints Committee as mandated under the POSH Act, and we also have an external lady member as part of that committee," he said.

"If the matter had been reported to us, we would have immediately placed it under investigation by the ICC as described under the POSH Act." However, Deo explained that once a criminal complaint is registered, internal committees cannot run a parallel probe.

"If the person is guilty, then they will be punished as per the law of the land." Responding to questions on whether there were earlier warning signs involving Bhardwaj or other coaches, Deo maintained that this was the first sexual harassment complaint received against the coach.

"In my four or five years of being with NRAI, only one such case was brought to our notice earlier, and that too at a state federation level," he said.

He added that the federation has laid down strict behavioral guidelines for both coaches and shooters.

"All athletes, coaches and officials are required to sign a standard operating procedure on how to behave and what is acceptable and what is not acceptable," Deo said.

"In that SOP, we specifically forbid coaches from taking athletes to rooms. All interaction between athletes and coaches or officials should be done either at the range in public spaces or, if the range is not available for some reason, within respectable time and in public spaces, so that such incidents and allegations do not happen," he added.

Stressing the need for athlete awareness, Deo said the federation will do more to empower young shooters to speak up.

"These are young athletes and sometimes they may be afraid of coming out, either in public or by approaching authorities, fearing retribution," he said.

"They must understand fully well what their rights are and know that they can, without fear, approach NRAI or the Internal Complaints Committee or the external member of the POSH committee and report such incidents immediately," he added.

"Only then can strict action be taken and such incidents prevented in the future." Deo said the federation tries to keep a close watch on the functioning of national coaches.

Explaining the coach appointment process, Deo said selections are made based on recommendations from an advisory committee comprising former shooters and experts.

"The coaches are selected on the basis of recommendations of an advisory committee formed by NRAI, which could comprise ex-shooters. They are primarily taken for their competence in shooting," he said.

Briefly touching upon the Shooting League of India, Deo said the it remains a key long-term project despite initial commercial challenges. PTI HN PM PM PM