Foreign coach booked for ‘raping’ minor athlete during Asian Games training

A 34-year-old Kazakhstan coach attached to the Indian cycling squad has been booked for allegedly raping a minor cyclist (Represnetative image)

PATIALA: A 34-year-old foreign coach attached to the Indian cycling squad has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for allegedly raping a minor cyclist at the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), housed within Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) campus in Patiala.Patiala police have issued a look out circular (LOC) against the accused, Maxat Ayazbayev, a former professional road cyclist from Kazakhstan.He has been untraceable since the complaint surfaced last week. Police have seized his passport and formed two teams to track him down.According to investigators, the alleged assault took place on September 13.The survivor had been stationed at the Patiala facility for a high-performance training camp. After her complaint, an FIR was lodged at Civil Lines police station on Sept 18 under relevant sections of the Pocso Act and rape provisions.Civil Lines police station SHO Winnerpreet Singh said the mandatory medico-legal examination of the survivor had been conducted at Govt Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, and psychological as well as legal counselling had been extended to her in accordance with child protection protocols.“We registered a criminal case immediately upon receiving the complaint from the athlete,” Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harmandeep Singh Hans said. “The accused coach was in Delhi at the time and has since been untraceable. Two special teams have been constituted to trace him.”Police revealed that the LOC has been opened at all international transit points to prevent him from fleeing the country.Ayazbayev had been scheduled to accompany the Indian cycling contingent to Japan for Asian Games, but his travel clearance was revoked once the allegations emerged, said police.Taking cognisance of the matter, the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) reportedly suspended Ayazbayev with immediate effect and marked the matter to its internal complaints committee (ICC) for an inquiry.Patiala SP (city) Mohit Aggarwal said raids were under way across multiple locations in Delhi and the National Capital Region to apprehend the coach.