NEW DELHI, June 8: Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Wednesday terminated the contract of chief cycling coach R K Sharma, acting on a preliminary report of an inquiry committee after a female cyclist accused him of “inappropriate behaviour” during a training-cum-competition tour of Slovenia.
SAI said the inquiry committee, formed by it following the complaint, found the allegations of the female cyclist to be true.
“SAI had constituted an inquiry committee to hear the case of a national level cyclist’s complaint against a coach of inappropriate behaviour during a foreign exposure trip in Slovenia which was organised by the Cycling Federation of India. The committee has submitted its preliminary report today and prima facie the case is established and the allegations of the athlete are found to be true,” the SAI said.
“The coach who was hired on recommendation of the Cycling Federation of India had a contract with the Sports Authority of India. Following the report, SAI has terminated the contact of the coach with immediate effect,” the statement added.
The complainant was part of the Indian endurance contingent, consisting of five male and a female, that flew to Slovenia on May 15 and was scheduled to return on June 14.
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. (PTI)
