Sexual harassment: Life ban for coach, manager of Meghalaya U-23 women’s cricket team
GUWAHATI
The Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) has banned the coach and manager of the state’s under-23 women’s cricket team for life after a case of sexual harassment was confirmed.
MCA president and Rajya Sabha member James PK Sangma told reporters in Shillong on Saturday (June 27, 2026) that action has been taken against the coach and manager of the U-23 women’s team on the orders of the Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW).
He said the association had also suspended its honorary secretary Rayonald Kharkamni for allegedly suppressing complaints filed in December 2025 when the team was in Tripura’s capital, Agartala, for a tournament. The role of honorary secretary in the reported cover-up has been handed over to MCA ombudsman, retired high court judge BD Agarwal.
MSCW chairman Iamonlang Syiem concluded that the allegations were true and criticized the MCA for not launching an investigation in time or protecting the cricketers.
Mr Sangma, who took over as MCA president in March, admitted that the association did not have an internal grievance committee, a mandatory requirement under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act. “The absence of this committee is a serious mistake,” he said, vowing to speed up its creation.
He alleged that the new executive was kept in the dark about the complaints and the MCA secretary did not bring the matter before the new Apex Council.
“MSCW found that the officials who received the complaints did not act despite knowing about the allegations,” Mr Sangma said, distancing the current MCA leadership from the previous administration.
He added that the association would cooperate in any legal proceedings against former president Nab Bhattacharjee and two other former officials who cannot face internal disciplinary proceedings as they are no longer in office.
The MCA will communicate the life bans to other state cricket bodies to ensure that the sacked coach and manager are not employed elsewhere.
Published – 28 June 2026 11:10 AM IST