Asunta Lakra denies charges against her, questions Hockey India’s Ethics Committee jurisdiction
Former hockey captain Asunta Lakra has denied allegations made against her and challenged the jurisdiction of the Hockey India Ethics Committee. She argues that the committee lacks the authority to initiate proceedings without a formal referral from the Hockey India President.
Why it matters
This dispute highlights internal governance and procedural conflicts within a major national sports federation.
Former Indian women’s hockey team captain and selector Asunta Lakra has not only denied all allegations made against her by another player but also questioned the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee itself and the maintainability of the proceedings against her.
“I deny each and every allegation, insinuation and imputation levelled against me in the said complaints, whether express or implied...The allegations are false, baseless, malicious, motivated, defamatory and are a complete distortion of facts,” Asunta wrote in a detailed preliminary reply to the chairman of Hockey India’s Ethics Committee Justice (Retd) Raghvendra Kumar on Wednesday.
Asunta, who has levelled serious allegations of sexual misconduct against coach Sudhir Golla and criminal intimidation against Hockey India Secretary-General Bholanath Singh, had complaints filed against her by Albela Rani Toppo and had been asked to reply by August 5.
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