IOA establishes helpline to guarantee athletes' safety at National Games

In a bid to prevent harassment, abuse and other forms of interpersonal violence during the National Games here, the IOA and the event's organising committee on Monday established a helpline to promote safety and well-being of athletes and coaches.

The Games, scheduled to open on Tuesday, will run until February 14 in multiple locations across Uttarakhand.

"The Indian Olympic Association and the National Games Games Organising Committee have established a safeguarding telephone helpline as part of a focused initiative to promote safety and well-being as well as to prevent and address adverse incidents during the Uttarakhand National Games 2025," said an IOA release.

"The helpline will be available to athletes, coaches, and officials around the clock. This is part of our initiative to prevent harassment, abuse, and other forms of interpersonal violence in sports. We have also formed a Safeguarding Committee that will work to prevent safeguarding issues and look into any complaints that may arise," said IOA president PT Usha.

Usha said the helpline was to create a conducive environment where the athletes and coaches could give off their best.

"This reflects IOA and NGOC's commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment, ensuring athletes, coaches, and support staff have confidential resources to report and resolve issues effectively," she said.

"While safeguarding measures are in place for all participants, the committee will place special emphasis on supporting women athletes, coaches, and officials."  The committee has Neetal Narang as chairperson as well as Deepa Mehta.

They will prioritise the prevention of incidents that compromise the integrity and safety of participants and ensure timely action while maintaining the confidentiality of all complaints.

"The committee will document incidents, maintain accountability, and implement measures to deter potential misconduct. This proactive approach underscores the IOA's commitment to fostering a safe and trustworthy sporting environment, the IOA president said.