INCHEON: A month after an Indian Olympic Association (IOA) official and a wrestling referee were arrested for drunken driving and sexual assault in Glasgow, an international gymnast and coach, identified as Manoj Rana (coach) and Chandan Pathak, were slapped sexual harassment charges by the Delhi Police on Tuesday.
According to the police, the accused had allegedly passed obscene comments and made vulgar gestures at a trainee-level gymnast, who is not part of the Asian Games squad, during a practice session at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on September 2. “An investigation has been launched and we are recording statements of several persons, including stadium staff and other persons. Police are also scanning CCTV footage,” a senior police officer said.
Meanwhile, the Gymnastic Federation of India (GFI) has guaranteed stern measures against the accused if found guilty. “It’s an unfortunate and shameful development, if at all such an incident had happened. We will inquire internally,” assured GFI general secretary Kaushik Bidiwala.
Two More Caught
Organisers have kicked out Iranian football equipment manager Amereh Ahmad for sexually harassing a female volunteer. Police were investigating a Palestinian footballer who was accused of groping a female worker in an athletes’ village laundry room. He was banned from leaving the country.