Cyclist Deborah Herold accuses coach RK Sharma of ‘slapping, harassing her’

National coach RK Sharma, who was dismissed recently after India’s top cyclist accused him of sexual harassment, is facing another allegation of objectionable behavior by International gold medallist Deborah Herold.

While speaking to The Indian Express, the national champion said that she was removed from the national team, after the team’s assistant coach, Gautamani Devi ‘thought she was in a relationship with another female cyclist’.

Clarifying that Devi misunderstood their relationship, the Andaman-based cyclist spoke about the discomfort she faced before being removed from the national camp. The 27-year-old said that the coach & the assistant coach constantly harassed her by ignoring her, taunting her, and eventually she was also isolated from the rest of the cyclists.

Herold was removed from the team in 2018, when she was the country’s fastest cyclist in 200m sprint and 500m time trial events.

The National champion also accused Sharma of ‘slapping’ her in 2015. ‘The ac in my room was not working, I went to a fellow boy’s room for which he slapped me twice, she said.

Apart from Herold, 2 other members of the national team have also accused Sharma of ‘constantly harassing and threatening them’ which they said, affected their performance over the years.

Sports Authority of India dismissed RK Sharma from his position after a top cyclist alleged that the coach forced her to stay in his room, offered her a post-training massage, forcefully tried to pull her towards himself, and asked her to sleep with him during a camp in Slovenia in May.