IOA’s Anandeshwar Panday accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ during Birmingham CWG | More sports News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Already facing heat over an FIR by former national-level handball player alleging sexual assault, Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) treasurer Anandeshwar Panday found himself in further trouble after it emerged on Thursday that his T2 transport privileges were withdrawn at the recent Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Birmingham following a complaint of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female volunteer.
A T2 privilege offers an accredited team official access to all competition and non-competition venues, as well as recognised city centres in the host city.
In a letter dated August 5, which was made public on Thursday, Ashwin Lokare, Birmingham 2022 Head of Games Family Services, flagged the issue of Panday’s alleged misdemeanour to IOA’s acting president Anil Khanna while appreciating the efforts made by him to address the organising committee’s (OC) concerns.
“As a consequence of the inappropriate nature of Anandeshwar Panday’s behaviour, which made the volunteer driver feel uncomfortable and left her in an awkward situation, Birmingham 2022 has made the decision to revoke his T2 transport privilege for the remainder of the Games,” the communication read.
“We recognise that you have spoken to Panday about his behaviour and apologised on his behalf. We also appreciate you taking the effort to address our concerns,” added the mail from Lokare, a copy of which is with TOI.
Speaking in his defence, Panday told TOI: “I strongly refute any such allegations of misbehaviour during the CWG. I would say it was more about language barrier. I was at the NEC Arena watching matches. After coming out, I boarded the official transport (car) and requested the lady to first drop me at the athletes’ village and later at my hotel. She told me that her shift for the day was over and she couldn’t drop me at the village. I told her she should have informed me earlier, as I would have arranged for an alternate transport. Later, she reluctantly dropped me at the village. The next day, I came to hear about this complaint. It was unacceptable. Had there been any such issues of inappropriate behaviour, the OC would have got my official accreditation revoked.”
It was the second such instance during the Birmingham CWG. The OC had withdrawn the T2 privileges of an Indian official, Pradeep Sharma, on July 30.
Sharma, team manager attached with the Indian weightlifting squad, was reprimanded for his ‘rude behaviour’ by the Games OC, which asked the chef-de-mission’s office to instruct the country’s contingent “to be respectful and courteous at all times to our workforce” at the CWG.
Sharma had asked one of OC’s T2 drivers to be dropped at a non-T2 destination.
A T2 privilege offers an accredited team official access to all competition and non-competition venues, as well as recognised city centres in the host city.
In a letter dated August 5, which was made public on Thursday, Ashwin Lokare, Birmingham 2022 Head of Games Family Services, flagged the issue of Panday’s alleged misdemeanour to IOA’s acting president Anil Khanna while appreciating the efforts made by him to address the organising committee’s (OC) concerns.
“As a consequence of the inappropriate nature of Anandeshwar Panday’s behaviour, which made the volunteer driver feel uncomfortable and left her in an awkward situation, Birmingham 2022 has made the decision to revoke his T2 transport privilege for the remainder of the Games,” the communication read.
“We recognise that you have spoken to Panday about his behaviour and apologised on his behalf. We also appreciate you taking the effort to address our concerns,” added the mail from Lokare, a copy of which is with TOI.
Speaking in his defence, Panday told TOI: “I strongly refute any such allegations of misbehaviour during the CWG. I would say it was more about language barrier. I was at the NEC Arena watching matches. After coming out, I boarded the official transport (car) and requested the lady to first drop me at the athletes’ village and later at my hotel. She told me that her shift for the day was over and she couldn’t drop me at the village. I told her she should have informed me earlier, as I would have arranged for an alternate transport. Later, she reluctantly dropped me at the village. The next day, I came to hear about this complaint. It was unacceptable. Had there been any such issues of inappropriate behaviour, the OC would have got my official accreditation revoked.”
It was the second such instance during the Birmingham CWG. The OC had withdrawn the T2 privileges of an Indian official, Pradeep Sharma, on July 30.
Sharma, team manager attached with the Indian weightlifting squad, was reprimanded for his ‘rude behaviour’ by the Games OC, which asked the chef-de-mission’s office to instruct the country’s contingent “to be respectful and courteous at all times to our workforce” at the CWG.
Sharma had asked one of OC’s T2 drivers to be dropped at a non-T2 destination.
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