NRAI suspends national coach Ankush Bharadwaj after minor accuses him of sexual harassment
A prominent member of India's shooting coaching staff, Ankush Bhardwaj, has been accused of sexual harassment by a minor shooter, prompting the national federation to suspend him. NRAI (National Rifles Association of India) confirmed that an FIR has been filed against Bhardwaj in Faridabad.
National Rifles Association of India (NRAI) suspended national coach Ankush Bharadwaj today after being accused by a minor shooter. NRAI has confirmed the development, even as an FIR has also been filed against Bharadwaj in Faridabad.
NRAI Secretary Rajiv Bhatia told PTI that the coach has been issued a show-cause notice and won't be associated with any coaching activity unless he proves himself innocent. "NRAI has suspended him and we will issue a show-cause notice. He has been suspended on moral grounds. Now, he has to prove himself innocent. Till the inquiry is not completed, he will not be associated with any coaching activity," he said.
Bhatia also stated that Bharadwaj had been recommended by NRAI to be part of the 37-man coaching staff for the Paris Olympics in 2024 and was part of the contingent as well. "It was on the recommendation of the NRAI that he was appointed by SAI as one of the coaches. It is a case of sexual harassment that happened in Surajkund," Bhatia added.
17-year-old shooter was training with Bharadwaj since August 2025
Rajiv Bhatia didn't reveal more about the incident, but according to the FIR filed by the victim, she was targetted last month after a training session at the Karni Singh Range. The girl was training with Bharadwaj since August 2025 and has stated in the FIR that she was left traumatised by the incident and spoke up in front of her mother on January 1 after being persistently probed. Bhardwaj, a former pistol shooter, had served a doping ban in 2010 for the use of a beta-blocker during his competitive days.
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