Accused of seeking sexual favors from India shooters, 'traumatized coach quits six months before Rio

New Delhi: India’s chief rifle coach Stanislav Lapidus on Thursday stepped down from his position with just six months left for the Rio Olympics.

According to a report in the DNA, the Kazakh met National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Raninder Singh and tendered his resignation.

Last year, Olympians Anjali Bhagwat, Suma Shirur and four other shooters had accused the 63-year-old of seeking sexual favors from junior shooters.

The matter is currently being investigated by NRAI’s Athletes Commission headed by Arjuna awardee Moraad Ali Khan.

“He was unable to bear the mental trauma, which his family has gone through since these allegations first surfaced in last August. He said some shooters unnecessarily created the circumstances for him to leave. It’s his personal decision and we can’t stop him. We will be forwarding his resignation to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and, thereafter, his one-month notice period will start as per his contract. However, the probe will continue into this matter to ascertain who was actually guilty,” Singh told DNA.

Singh had earlier convinced Lapidus to continue when the latter had offered to quit before the Asian Olympic Qualifiers.

Despite his resignation, he is expected to stay on as a private coach to four Indian shooters, helping them prepare for Rio 2016.

Lapidus' last assignment as India's coach will be the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup in Bangkok from March 1 to 9.