Hockey India official faces misconduct allegations

KOLKATA: At a time when Hockey India’s focus is on performance on the field in a crucial year, it has received a detailed complaint alleging serious misconduct, including sexual harassment and abuse of authority against a Hockey India official.An email from an anonymous sender, a copy of which is with TOI, was sent to the director general of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Kalpana Sharma, director, SAI Internal Complaints Committee, as well as Dilip Tirkey, president of Hockey India, flagging “serious and ongoing concerns regarding the conduct” of an official.Tirkey confirmed to TOI that HI had received the mail. Among the allegations, the email accuses the official of “sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct towards female officials, coaches and players, pressuring individuals to engage in inappropriate personal interactions, including repeated unwanted calls, threats of damaging or ending careers upon refusal, demanding money under the pretext of coaching courses or professional opportunities and seeking inappropriate and unsolicited photographs”.When contacted, Tirkey, the Hockey India president, told TOI, “We have received an anonymous complaint and at Hockey India, we take allegations of harassment very seriously. An independent inquiry will be constituted to thoroughly examine the matter.”This is not the first complaint against the individual. In 2023, a formal complaint has been filed, following which the individual had submitted his resignation to Tirkey.

According to sources, technical officials had pushed for his resignation despite him being backed by several office-bearers. However, he was brought back into the organisation in Sept 2025.Although his name does not currently feature on Hockey India’s committees list, it appeared in the official programme of the World Cup qualifiers held in Hyderabad last month, where he was listed as a Hockey India member in a key committee.When contacted, a Hockey India umpire, requesting anonymity, said complaints had been raised with office-bearers last year but no action was taken.Another senior umpire, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “He used to ask me for money on one pretext or another, and for pictures. However, when I raised the issue, I was sidelined.”Seeking urgent intervention, the complainant has thus urged SAI to order an independent inquiry, ensure protection for those coming forward, and strengthen safeguards against harassment, coercion and abuse of authority within the system.Timeline of events according to the complaint: