Gurugram: A 17-year-old boxer from Hisar, who has won two gold medals at the national level, has accused a woman coach from the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) National Boxing Academy in Rohtak of physical assault and sexual misconduct during a training tour in Ireland.
The allegations—detailed in an FIR registered on a complaint by the minor’s mother at the Urban Estate Police Station in Rohtak—have raised serious questions about athlete safety.
The FIR, registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, describes a disturbing series of events.
The minor, a member of the Indian boxing team since 2022, was part of a training tour in Ireland from 24 March to 3 April, 2025.
According to her mother’s complaint, the coach attempted to touch the boxer’s private parts during the tour, an incident the teenager initially struggled to comprehend.
When the minor resisted, the coach’s behaviour escalated. She was pressured to record a training video and, upon failing to meet the coach’s expectations, faced verbal abuse and accusations about her character in front of teammates.
The harassment continued with a humiliating punishment: the coach allegedly forced the boxer to perform 50 front rolls in front of female teammates, and 100 more near the men’s changing room, leaving bruises on her back.
The next day, despite the minor’s apologies and pleas for support, the coach refused to accompany her to a boxing match, leaving her to compete alone without a warm-up or guidance, as she faced heckling from the audience.
The allegations took a darker turn with claims of attempted molestation. The coach reportedly followed the minor to her room, locked the door, and tried to touch her inappropriately while attempting to remove her clothes.
When the boxer resisted and raised an alarm, she was allegedly slapped multiple times. The coach then coerced her into writing a letter admitting to owning a second phone and talking to boys, threatening to derail her career with the Indian team if she refused.
Back at the Rohtak academy, the minor’s ordeal persisted, with her inner garments stolen from the hostel and a needle planted in her bed, incidents her mother believes were intended to mentally destabilise her daughter.
The minor’s mother, distraught over her daughter’s condition, rushed to Rohtak after learning of the incidents, where the boxer broke down and shared her ordeal.
Narendra Bijarnia, Superintendent of Police, Rohtak, confirmed to The Print that an FIR has been registered under BNS Sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), and Section 10 of the POCSO Act (aggravated sexual assault). “We are investigating the matter thoroughly, and conclusions will be drawn once the investigation is complete,” Bijarnia said to ThePrint.
Responding to ThePrint, The SAI said, “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 detailed inquiry was conducted in which statements of the complaint, the coach concerned, the fellow coaches and staff members and fellow athletes were taken and the allegations made could not be established. SAI is committed to ensuring clean sports and will extend cooperation during the investigation at any point of time,” said the SAI in its email statement.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)