Punjab Police have booked a foreign coach for allegedly raping a minor athlete at a training camp in Patiala on September 13.
The national sports federation employing the coach confirmed the coach is "absconding" but that it has his passport and documents. The incident was reported to federation officials on September 18, and an FIR was filed within hours at PS Civil Lines under Section 64 (rape), 352 (intentional insult) of BNS and Section 6 of POCSO Act.
"The incident was reported to the federation on September 18 and the same day a complaint was lodged with the police," a senior federation office-bearer said. A complaint was also filed with the Internal Complaints Committee.
Police said when the complaint was reported, the coach was in Delhi for a camp ahead of the Asian Games in Japan. "The federation authorities approached us and informed us that the coach had been absconding after the incident," said Patiala City SP.
The case raises urgent questions about athlete safety at national camps, especially for minors. The federation said it has revoked the coach's travel clearance after the allegations came to notice. The coach had joined only in November last year.
The investigation, police said, is on and "necessary action is being taken to nab the accused." The incident underscores the power asymmetry in elite sports training, where young athletes live under near-total control of coaches and federations.