A top Indian woman cyclist has accused the national coach RK Sharma of harassment in a complaint to Sports Authority of India (SAI).
According to the complaint, Sharma forcibly entered the athlete’s room and harassed her during the India team's current tour of Slovenia.
The Government has cracked the whip and directed the Indian contingent to cut short their trip and return back home.
SAI has confirmed that it "has received a complaint from a cyclist of inappropriate behaviour by a coach during a foreign exposure camp in Slovenia".
"Following the complaint by the athlete, SAI has immediately brought her back to India to ensure her safety and has also constituted a committee to investigate the matter. The matter is being dealt on priority and will be resolved shortly," according to a Sports Authority of India statement read.
The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) on Wednesday recalled the entire Indian contingent from their exposure trip to Slovenia, acting on instructions by the SAI, news agency PTI reported.
While the cyclist has already returned to India on June 3, coach RK Sharma and the rest of the Indian cyclists were scheduled to return on June 14.
The cyclist was a part of Team India in Slovenia to prepare for the Asian Championship scheduled to be held in New Delhi from June 18 to 22.
Two separate committees, one from the CFI and the other from the SAI, have been set up to investigate the matter.
There were no women coaches present on the tour of Slovenia.
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