A minor female boxer has filed a sexual harassment complaint against a woman coach at the Sports Authority of India’s National Boxing Academy in Rohtak. The victim’s parents have reported that their daughter has fallen into depression due to continuous mental and physical abuse.The Boxing Federation of India and Sports Authority of India have confirmed receiving a complaint about intimidation and slapping incidents from the 17-year-old victim. However, they deny being informed about sexual harassment as mentioned in the FIR.The internal investigations by both organizations found no evidence against the coach. The coach continues to lead the national camp for junior and youth boxers.The victim’s FIR, filed at a Rohtak police station, states that the coach attempted to forcibly remove her clothes, slapped her multiple times, threatened her career, and labeled her as a “person of bad character” in front of other boxers.The police have registered the complaint under Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita’s section 115 and 351(3), along with Protection of Children from Sexual Abuse act’s section 10.SAI has expressed willingness to assist with the investigations when required.“…we have not received copy of any such FIR as of now. A complaint was however lodged by a female Boxer of NBA Rohtak through email, on 24/4/25 in which she alleged Mental and Physical harassment by a female coach during an invitational boxing tournament held in Ireland from 25th March 2025 to 3rd April 2025. No allegation of sexual harassment was levelled in that complaint,” a SAI Regional Centre (Sonepat) spokesperson told PTI. “A detailed inquiry was conducted in which statements of the complainant, the coach concerned, the fellow coaches and staff members and fellow athletes were taken and the allegations made could not be established.”
Poll
How serious do you think the issue of harassment in sports is?
“SAI is committed to ensuring clean sports and will extend any cooperation required during investigation based on the FIR, at any point of time.”The victim’s parents have expressed dissatisfaction with the BFI’s handling of the situation.According to the FIR, the coach allegedly humiliated and molested the boxer during the Ireland tour.“This coach had tried to touch her inappropriately in the past too but my child could not understand her actions at that time,” the FIR states.The parents reported that their daughter was punished with intense physical exercise for failing to record a training video as requested by the coach.“She apologised to the coach for not recording the video as well as the coach desired and requested her to do the seconding for her in the fight. But the coach did not go with her for the fight and did not allow any other coach to accompany her either. She even stopped my daughter’s fellow boxers from helping or supporting her during the bout. We have CCTV footage to prove that my daughter was alone in the ring.”The parents of the boxer, who has won two national-level gold medals, have alleged molestation by the coach.“The coach accused my daughter of talking excessively to boys. She called other boxers, insulted her in front of them and asked her to bring her phone. When my daughter headed to her room to do as instructed, she followed her inside and tried to touch her inappropriately after locking the room from inside. She tried to forcibly take off my daughter’s clothes and when she resisted and pushed her, the coach repeatedly slapped her. She then dragged her to the training hall and asked my daughter to give in writing that she had two phones and was using one of them to talk to boys,” they alleged.The parents stated their daughter was slapped for refusing to follow instructions. SAI’s investigation found no support for these claims from other boxers present during the tour.“She threatened my daughter of consequences if she dared complained against her behaviour. She called her mentally unstable as well. The coach not only took my daughter’s phone but also forced her to share its password after slapping her. She also took away her personal diary. My daughter is in depression and in a state of shock.”The parents learned about their daughter’s situation from one of her camp mates. They rushed to Rohtak, where she revealed her experiences to them.
