A 34 year old foreign cycling coach linked with the Indian cycling team has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after a minor female cyclist allegedly accused him of rape at the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Patiala. The NCOE is located inside the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) campus.
According to reports, the case was registered at the Civil Lines police station in Patiala on September 18 after a complaint from the minor athlete. Police have started an investigation into the allegations and are working to trace the coach. His passport has reportedly been taken by authorities.
The coach was reportedly scheduled to travel to Japan with the Indian cycling team for the Asian Games, but his travel was stopped after the complaint came to light. The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) has also suspended him and referred the matter to its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for further inquiry.
The identity of the minor athlete has not been disclosed, in line with legal protections for children involved in sexual offence cases. Police are continuing their investigation to establish the full circumstances of the case. The allegations against the coach have not been proven in court, and further details are expected as the police and federation inquiries continue.
