It was an appropriate day on the occasion of International Women’s Day to make some announcement by the union sports minister showing sensitiveness towards women sportspersons. Union sports minister Vijay Goel said that his ministry will constitute a high-level committee to resolve the grievances and complaints of women sportspersons under the chairmanship of Joint secretary, Sports. The committee will comprise athletes, advocate, and senior officials.
On the occasion of the International Women Day, the ministry of youth affairs and sports organized a conference on 'Women and Sports in India’ to deliberate upon various issues for encouraging more and more women to take up sports.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister of state Vijay Goel said his ministry provides equal assistance and incentives to both male and female athletes and there is no gender discrimination for training etc. He said Sports Authority of India in its Special Area Game Scheme has provided training to 807 women sportspersons out of total 1862 sports persons.
Officials said that the ministry has taken the initiative of constituting a committee keeping in mind the complaints by the women athletes.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister said, “Women athletes, if they will have any complaint can approach the committee for their grievance redressal. The ministry follows a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment.”
Officials said that the conference deliberated upon creation of safe spaces for girl athletes and women coaches, zero tolerance towards sexual harassment in sports complex, inclusion of gender sensitization modules in coach training modules, women representation in sports institutions, federations and other sports bodies and gender parity in terms of support to women athletes.