Sexual harassment row hits Indian shooting: SAI coach faces allegations

A shooting coach, who travelled with the Indian team for the Junior World Championships in Suhl, Germany, in June, is in the dock after facing sexual harassment allegations from junior rifle shooters who competed at the tournament.According to NRAI sources, the coach, an employee of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), appeared before the Internal Complaints Committee of the National Rifle Association of India earlier this week.“The committee heard his response to the allegations and, based on the report from the NRAI, the SAI has moved him out of the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in Tughlakabad,” an NRAI official told TOI.The coach, who was recruited nearly three years ago, allegedly misbehaved with the shooters during the championships.“The range is located on Friedberg Hill, on the outskirts of Suhl. The complaint is that the coach allegedly took the two shooters for a walk in the nearby woods and touched them inappropriately. Earlier, the coach even tried to get the charges dropped, threatening to ruin the careers of the shooters,” the source said. “One of the shooters’ parents had lodged an oral complaint after the incident, but nothing came of it.”Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.