Hockey coach is serial offender, says former skipper

Mihir Vasavda / DNAThursday

Mumbai: Skeletons have started tumbling out of the cupboard after allegations of sordid happenings in the Indian women’s hockey team became public. Former India goalkeeper Helen Mary on Wednesday lashed out at MK Kaushik, the chief coach of the women’s national hockey team, saying she quit the national team prematurely because of his misconduct during tours.

“I am not at all surprised with all that has happened. In a way, I am glad that the issue has finally come to light and the girls have thrown him out of the team,” she said. “I quit the national team because of Kaushik sir’s behaviour and all this nonsense, which was rampant during my playing days,” the Arjuna awardee added.

Mary, who made her debut in 1993, was the mainstay of the Indian team during the late 90s and early 2000. In 2003, she saved two penalty strokes in the final tie-breaker to win the title for India at the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad.

The chorus against Kaushik is growing louder. The scandal emerged after a number of leading players sent a letter to Hockey India alleging sexual harassment by officials of the team management, including Kaushik and video analyst Basavaraj.

Mary said such things were going on even when the team had a female manager. “I have seen Kaushik sir in a compromising position with a female manager. The manager used to sit for drinks and have fun with the coaching staff. It used to get very awkward for us. When they came to know that I have seen them like that, they stripped me of the captaincy,” she told DNA.

Mary revealed that the next team manager, also a woman, lodged a complaint against Kaushik with the sports ministry and the federation. “Although no action was taken against Kaushik, his partner, who had become assistant coach, was sacked,” she said.

“And since there are no women staffers, he had no option but to try his luck with the players. But calling prostitutes to his room while on tour is shameful. Is this how a coach should conduct himself?”

She has alleged that Kaushik had escaped unscathed each time due to his “good friends” within the ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI). “He has misbehaved with my teammates many times and we had complained about it many times but nothing much came out of it.”

Mary said the only reason she has decided to come out in open against the coach is because she feels justice needs to be done.

“I hope this time he is punished for what he has done. We have suffered a lot under him, and I pray justice is served to the girl who was Kaushik’s victim this time. Make no mistake, he is a great coach but he is a characterless guy,” she said.