Para swimmer Karmakar suspended for various offences: PCI

Confirming the suspension of para swimmer Prasanta Karmakar, Vice President Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), Gursharan Singh, today said the athlete is also facing charges of indiscipline and anti-federation activities apart from charges of recording videos of female swimmers.

Gursharan told ANI, "He has been suspended not only for shooting videos but there are other charges as well with respect to his discipline and also anti-federation activities, and of course, taking photographs of women swimmers."

Karmakar has been suspended for three years after being found recording videos of female swimmers at the National Para Swimming Championship held in Jaipur from March 31, 2017 to April 3, 2017.

"He [Karmakar] has been given due time for an explanation and the disciplinary committee has suspended him after taking due course of law from January 20 for a period of three years," Gursharan said.

The PCI vice-president added, "He was asked for explanation. Not only he, but victim, accused, witnesses, complainants were called. Everybody was given due time for their version. After listening to them, the disciplinary committee has taken the decision to suspend him."

Earlier, the PCI revealed that Karmakar had been suspended after a written complaint was reported regarding acts of misconduct, misbehavior and manhandling by the Arjuna awardee.

"He (Karmakar) gave a camera to one of his associates and asked him to make video films of female swimmers during the event. When the parents of those swimmers objected, the person making videos on the instance of Karmakar was called in by Dr. V. K. Dabas, Chairman, Para Swimming, PCI, wherein he informed that the camera was given to him by Karmakar under instructions to make the said video films," the PCI said.

Meanwhile, Karmakar was detained by the police, though he was released later after he agreed to delete the videos and photos recorded by him and his associate.

The PCI further said that it has also directed the Haryana sports department to take strict disciplinary action against Karmakar for his above 'intentional wrongdoings, misbehavior' and indicipline"

The 37-year-old is the first disabled swimmer to represent India at the World Swimming Championship in Argentina and to bag a medal. He was also India's swimming team coach at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.