I protected my girls from coach: ex-captain

Former captain Helen Mary alleged that she had to quit captaincy of the Indian women’s hockey team owing to the coach MK Kaushik’s inappropriate behaviour.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: Former captain of the Indian Hockey women’s team, Helen Mary, alleged that she had to quit captaincy owing to the coach MK Kaushik’s inappropriate behaviour, in an off the field. In an interview to an Indian news channel, Mary said that the coach removed her from the captaincy of Indian women hockey team as she refused to give in to his ‘demands’. A probe has been ordered against the now ex-coach MS Kaushik, after 31 members of the women’s hockey team registered a complaint against him, stating that the coach asked for sexual favours from them. Mary came in defence of her team, saying that all ’30 women cant lie’ on such a serious matter. The ex-captain also recalled how she used to protect team-members from the coach and never used to allow them to go to the coach’s room alone. Stung by allegations of sexual harassment, Kaushik on Wednesday resigned from the post as the hockey establishment launched a thorough probe into the sex scandal which has rocked the national game. A day after the sex scandal came to light, Kaushik stepped down as the head coach and vowed to clear his name, saying the allegations were baseless and he was a victim of “big-time conspiracy”. Hockey India also sacked videographer Basavraj whose photographs with prostitutes during the recent Canada and China tour were sent to HI through an anonymous e-mail.