Media365
Hockey India (HI) president Dilip Tirkey on Tuesday called for an emergency Executive Board meeting following several cases of sexual harassment, misconduct, ethical violations and disciplinary failures against coaches and officials within the organisation.“These incidents are seriously harming the reputation of HI, Indian hockey, our sponsors and Hockey India League franchises,” the president wrote in an email, a copy of which is in possession of TOI. Among the most recent cases is that of assistant coach Sudhir Golla, who was removed from the U-18 boys’ camp in Bhopal after it emerged that he had been sacked by the Jharkhand govt from the Eklavya Hockey Training Centre in Ranchi over absenteeism and harassment complaints.Earlier last month, an anonymous complaint was also sent to the HI president as well as the director general of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), alleging serious misconduct — including sexual harassment and abuse of authority — against a Hockey India official.Among the allegations reported exclusively by TOI, the email accused the official of “sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct towards female officials, coaches and players.”According to sources, it was following this complaint that the president began conducting a thorough investigation over the past month and has spoken with numerous officials.“Several women umpires have privately confirmed concerns relating to some of the reported matters. However, many are reluctant to come forward formally due to fear of reprisal, victimisation or loss of privacy,” the president has further written in the mail sent to the members of the executive body on Tuesday afternoon.Besides these reported incidents, according to an RTI response to TOI dated May 5, SAI had also received a complaint on March 15. “The same was forwarded to Hockey India for necessary action. However, a response from Hockey India is still awaited,” the response added.Moreover, a board member also alleged being verbally threatened by an official in Hockey India for trying to report some of these cases.The HI president has thus requested the HI Director General to convene an Executive Board meeting and confirm a date in accordance with the rules.He has chalked out five agendas, including the review of all ongoing and reported cases and the strengthening of POSH compliance and reporting mechanisms.The remaining three points are protection for complainants and whistleblowers, accountability for individuals or bodies found complicit or negligent, and adoption of a robust zero-tolerance policy and disciplinary framework.“This issue goes beyond individual cases. It concerns the credibility, culture, and future of Hockey India. We must act decisively, transparently, and collectively to protect the dignity of our athletes and the integrity of our sport,” Tirkey concluded.
