Sexual Harassment in Indian Sports Facilities: Official Data Shows 31 Cases, Mixed Outcomes
TL;DR: Official data provided by the Sports Ministry shows that there are about 5 sexual harassment complaints registered each year in sports facilities. Cases are concentrated in Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata, but outcomes vary widely, with some states showing strict action and others recording high closure rates without punishment.
Context:
Athlete safety, particularly for women, is a critical issue that has been amplified by high-profile events. The protests by top wrestlers in Delhi, which drew national attention to allegations of sexual harassment within the Wrestling Federation of India, underscore the importance of official data as a tool for transparency and accountability.
Who compiles this data?
The data presented is officially compiled by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The data used here is sourced from the Ministry’s response to queries raised by members of the Parliament.
Where can I download clean & structured data related to it?
Cleaned, structured, and ready-to-use datasets on Year, Regional Centre-wise Number of Sexual Harassment Cases in Sports Facilities can be downloaded from Dataful.
Key Insights
- Between 2017 and 2022, the SAI recorded 30 complaints of sexual harassment against coaches and staff. A regional breakdown shows that the most affected centres were in Bangalore (5 cases) and Kolkata (5 cases), followed by Trivandrum (3 cases) and the SAI Head Office in Delhi (6 cases).
- According to another parliamentary response, a total of 31 cases of sexual, physical, and mental harassment were registered in the last five years. Of the 10 harassment cases registered at the SAI Head Office in Delhi, only four resulted in punishment, while six were closed without any penalty being imposed.
- The data from Maharashtra and West Bengal indicates that a significant number of registered cases were closed with no punishment, while in Kerala, two of the four registered cases are still listed as pending.
- In contrast, Manipur and Uttarakhand show a 100% punishment rate, with the single registered case in each state resulting in punishment.
Why Does It Matter?
The official data confirms that cases of sexual harassment in Indian sports facilities are real and recurring. This highlights the urgent need for a strong grievance redressal mechanism to ensure athletes feel safe to report misconduct. Yet, the way these cases are handled varies sharply, with some pursued and punished, while others are closed without action or left pending. Additionally, the lack of a single, comprehensive public database for this information undermines transparency and makes it difficult to fully assess the scale of the problem.
Key Numbers (2020 to 2025)
- Total Number of Cases of sexual, physical, and mental harassment: 31
- Number of Cases where Punishment imposed:13
- Number of Cases Pending: 5
- Number of Cases Closed: 13