A coach should be like a father, guardian and comrade

Mohit Singla

The recent sex scandal in Indian Hockey has raised questions on the safety of girls desiring a career in sports. Newsline spoke to a cross-section of people in the city and gathered their diverse views on what some term as the darkest episode in Indian sports history.

* Dr C S Grewal, Sports Director, Physical Education, Panjab University

A coach should be like a father, guardian and comrade to the players. This case came to light after players lodged a complaint. Such incidents might be happening in other sports as well. An independent inquiry must be conducted by the government and the guilty should be punished.

* Ruma, former Basketball player

Girls who take up sports face many difficulties. Harassment is a problem in any sport. They are rarely allowed to open up with their sportsmates or coaches. I gave up playing basketball after facing problems of harassment.

* Neha Chaudhary, student

This case has been reported just before the Asian Champions Trophy. It is a serious concern and highlights the ineffective system of the Indian Hockey Federation. If national level players face such problems, the condition of women at lower levels could only be worse. The government should take the issue seriously and action should be taken against the errant officials.

* Mandeep Kumar, Tennis player

For the security of women teams, female security guards should be deployed. The fear of harassment acts as a deterrent for women desiring to take up sports. India has good women players in all sports, but measures need to be taken to ensure they are not exploited.

* Ranjit Singh, employee, Physics department, Panjab University

There should be female coach for every women sports team. Sexual harassment of women players starts from the zonal level, but they are hesitant to talk about it. The girls taking up sports should be taught about their rights and strict action should be taken against the guilty.

* Vinod Parkash, employee, Panjab University

A female assistant coach must be necessary for women teams. It is a sad narrrative on Indian sports that comes just before the Commonwealth Games 2010. While we talk of gender equality, the fairer sex ends up facing such problems that prove to be a hindrance to their success.

* Sameer Bansal, student

Incidents of this kind are a blot on the image of the country. While on one side we are trying to attract quality sportspersons, on the other such incidents are maligning Indian sports. At a time when the world is looking up to for hosting the Commonwealth Games, such incidents are damaging the image of the country.