Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla today called for exemplary punishment against coaches who allegedly sought sexual favours from junior athletes at the regional centers of Sports Authority of India (SAI).
SAI sacked one coach from its Tamil Nadu centre after around 15 junior athletes lodged a complaint at the SAI headquarters, alleging sexual harassment.
There were similar complaints from Bangalore and Gujarat centers and SAI has ordered the compulsory retirement of one of its accountants, who allegedly sent lewd text messages to a woman coach at the academy.
In the harassment case related to Gujarat, SAI has launched an internal probe against the coach.
"Nothing is shocking anymore. It is a world wide scenario, people in the US have been jailed and same should happen here," Sumariwalla told PTI on the sidelines of the IAAF run 24:1 here.
"I am glad the DG has taken very strong steps and I think we need to go into the details of it and if it is proved to be a sexual harassment case, it needs strictest punishment. Strictest of charges under the Indian Penal code should be levied on the coach because a coach is a father, a mentor and a guru, so strictest and strictest action should be taken."
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