“While attending the selection camp at Patiala, both of them repeatedly made sexual advances towards me. When I refused to give in, they started passing casteist remarks. Fearing a threat to my dignity and even to my life, I faxed a written complaint to the ADGP’s office on June 4,” weightlifter Meena Kumari said.
JALANDHAR – A weightlifter, Meena Kumari, who finished fifth at the recent Commonwealth Games in the 58-kg category, has accused her coach and a senior official of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) of making sexual advances and conspiring against her during the Glasgow event.
Meena alleged that she lost the medal under an alleged conspiracy hatched by Sehdev Yadav, Indian Weightlifting Federation vice-president, and her coach Sub-Inspector Sandeep Kumar of the Punjab Armed Police (PAP), who is also the Punjab Weightlifting Federation secretary.
Yadav has rubbished the charges as “baseless”.
“Meena could not win a medal in the Games and now she is trying to hog the limelight by blaming her defeat on others,” he claimed.
Sandeep too dubbed the allegations “as nothing but a bundle of lies, with some vested interests attached”.
Posted as head constable at the PAP headquarters in Jalandhar, Meena alleged that she had even submitted a written complaint against the duo to Gurdev Singh Sahota, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), a month before the Games, “but no action was taken”.
“While attending the selection camp at Patiala, both of them repeatedly made sexual advances towards me. When I refused to give in, they started passing casteist remarks. Fearing a threat to my dignity and even to my life, I faxed a written complaint to the ADGP’s office on June 4,” she said.
Meena claimed though an official was sent to investigate the matter, no action was taken.
“Instead, I was warned to stay quiet or else get ready to be dropped from the Commonwealth squad. I also complained to the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which assured me of my safety. It was only then that I agreed to go to Glasgow,” she said.
