The National Rifles Association of India (NRAI) has suspended national coach Ankush Bharadwaj following allegations made by a minor shooter, marking a significant development in the realm of sports coaching ethics. The NRAI has confirmed the suspension, which comes in the wake of a First Information Report (FIR) filed against Bharadwaj in Faridabad. NRAI Secretary Rajiv Bhatia stated that the coach has been issued a show-cause notice and will not participate in any coaching activities until he can demonstrate his innocence. Bhatia emphasized that the suspension is based on moral grounds, underscoring the organization’s commitment to maintaining integrity within its ranks. Bharadwaj, who was previously recommended by the NRAI to be part of the coaching staff for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, has been implicated in a case of sexual harassment that reportedly occurred in Surajkund. While Bhatia refrained from disclosing further details about the incident, the FIR indicates that the victim was targeted after a training session at the Karni Singh Range last month. The young athlete, who had been training under Bharadwaj since August 2025, expressed that she was left traumatized by the experience and only felt able to speak out about it to her mother on January 1, after persistent questioning. Notably, Bharadwaj, a former pistol shooter, has a history of controversy, having served a doping ban in 2010 for using a beta-blocker during his competitive career.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has suspended national coach Ankush Bharadwaj.
