Lok Sabha Question No. 190 (STARRED), answered on 2023-03-14
Subject: Sexual Harassment in Sports
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Kunwar Danish Ali

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 190 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.03.2023

Sexual Harassment in Sports

*190. KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  number  of  cases  that  have  come  to  notice  of  the Government  regarding  sexual  harassment  in  sports  especially  in wrestling; and
- (b) the details of steps taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS [SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR]

- (a) & (b): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  &  (b)  OF  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 190 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14/03/2023  REGARDING  'SEXUAL  HARASSMENT  IN  SPORTS'  ASKED BY KUNWAR DANISH ALI, HON'BLE MEMBER OF LOK SABHA.

(a)  &  (b):  Provisions  of  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  at  Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) (POSH) Act, 2013 are applicable  to  National  Sports  Federations  (NSFs)  and  other  sports organizations, including those under the Central Government and the State  Governments/Union  Territory  Administrations,  as  applicable  to any entity defined in the Act. The NSFs and other sports organizations are bound to take action in terms of the extant legal provisions in the cases of sexual harassment reported to them.

As regards the case of sexual harassment in Wrestling, recently some wrestlers staged protest/ dharna levelling allegations of sexual harassment,  arbitrariness  and  mismanagement  in  the  functioning  of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). As the matter pertained to the wellbeing  of  the  athletes,  the  Government  immediately  took  note  of the  allegations  and  instructed  the  Executive  Committee  of  WFI  to abstain, as an interim measure, from administering and managing the day-to-day activities of the WFI. Further, as a purely interim measure, an Oversight  Committee  headed  by  Ms.  M.C. Mary  Kom,  Major Dhyanchand  Khel  Ratna  Awardee  and  Olympic  Medallist,  has  been appointed by the Government to enquire into the allegations of sexual misconduct,  harassment  and  /  or  intimidation,  financial  irregularities and administrative lapses, levelled by prominent sportspersons; and to undertake day-to-day administration of WFI. For sensitizing the NSFs in the matter of sexual harassment in sports, instructions have been issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports to  NSFs  from  time-to-time  for  taking  the  requisite  measures  as required by law. The Sports Authority of India (SAI), an autonomous organization under the  Ministry  of  Youth  Affairs  &  Sports,  where  national  level  athletes are  imparted  coaching  either  as  trainees  or  as  part  of  the  national coaching camps organized at its centres, has taken various steps to deal with cases of sexual harassment. An Internal Complaints Committee  (ICC)  has  been  constituted  in  each  of  the  SAI  Regional Centres with a senior lady officer as the Chairperson. Members of the Committee include a lady official from a local NGO and lady officers of SAI. During domestic/International camps and competition exposures, women coaches are mandatorily made part of every contingent which has female athletes. Compliance Officers are appointed during National Coaching Camps and foreign visits. The roles and responsibilities  of  the  Compliance  Officers  include  communicating regularly  with  athletes  and  others  to  ensure  that  the  guidelines  are being followed, as well as to enforce the Standard Operating

Procedure  on  prevention  of  incidents  of  sexual  harassment.  Further, pre-Camp  Sensitization  modules  are  designed  and  presented  to  all athletes, coaches and support staff together before commencement of any National Coaching Camp and foreign visit. In  addition  to  the  above,  a  24x7  call  centre  is  also  run  by  SAI  to address grievances of the sportspersons.

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