UPDATES
January 31, 2025
GM Dr. Rajendran Balan, the President of TAI, acknowledged Maya’s complaints. Dr. Balan claimed that the TAI has two committees – a disciplinary committee and a women committee, to deal with matters of this nature.
February 6, 2025
- TAI’s senior-most female Black Belt, Ms. Neeral Trivedi (5th Dan Black Belt), who heads the women’s committee, responded to Maya Gopinathan.
- She stated that she is ‘looking into the matter’ and will submit a report to the Taekwon-Do Association of India. She added that gathering facts takes time, especially since the incident happened 10 years ago.
Decision makers-
Taekwon-Do Association of India President- Dr. Rajendran Balan
Demands-
The TAI form an Internal Committee as per the PoSH Act, 2013
Dismissal of individuals responsible for harassment, corruption, and misconduct
A fair and transparent investigation into the culture of bullying, intimidation, and abuse within TAI
Alarming reports of sexual harassment and corruption within the Taekwon-Do Association of India have surfaced. For many years now, incidents of abuse, bullying and sexual harassment towards female athletes and students have been ignored and silenced by those in power.
One such harrowing account is of Maya Gopinathan, a national-level athlete and awardee of Overall Best Fighter (Female), who has represented India at multiple international championships. In 2015, during the National Taekwon-Do (ITF) Championship in New Delhi, Maya, then a 16-year-old representing Karnataka, was subjected to sexual harassment by an instructor on her team. Despite reporting the incident to senior members at the time and again in 2022, no action was taken. The accused remains in a position of authority within TAI till this day.
This is not an isolated incident. Many other students in the association have faced similar experiences. However, the association lacks an Internal Committee that would be equipped to deal with these incidents as per the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013. There is also a dismissal of the perpetrators of sexual harassment within the association!
All of these incidents reflect the systemic failures within the Taekwon-Do Association of India and warrant the need of immediate action and deep-rooted investigation. There is a large culture of impunity and fear within the TAI. We must come together to demand accountability and reform within the association, which is supposed to be built on principles of discipline, respect and integrity.
UPDATES
January 31, 2025
GM Dr. Rajendran Balan, the President of TAI, acknowledged Maya’s complaints. Dr. Balan claimed that the TAI has two committees – a disciplinary committee and a women committee, to deal with matters of this nature.
February 6, 2025
- TAI’s senior-most female Black Belt, Ms. Neeral Trivedi (5th Dan Black Belt), who heads the women’s committee, responded to Maya Gopinathan.
- She stated that she is ‘looking into the matter’ and will submit a report to the Taekwon-Do Association of India. She added that gathering facts takes time, especially since the incident happened 10 years ago.
Decision makers-
Taekwon-Do Association of India President- Dr. Rajendran Balan
Demands-
The TAI form an Internal Committee as per the PoSH Act, 2013
Dismissal of individuals responsible for harassment, corruption, and misconduct
A fair and transparent investigation into the culture of bullying, intimidation, and abuse within TAI
Alarming reports of sexual harassment and corruption within the Taekwon-Do Association of India have surfaced. For many years now, incidents of abuse, bullying and sexual harassment towards female athletes and students have been ignored and silenced by those in power.
One such harrowing account is of Maya Gopinathan, a national-level athlete and awardee of Overall Best Fighter (Female), who has represented India at multiple international championships. In 2015, during the National Taekwon-Do (ITF) Championship in New Delhi, Maya, then a 16-year-old representing Karnataka, was subjected to sexual harassment by an instructor on her team. Despite reporting the incident to senior members at the time and again in 2022, no action was taken. The accused remains in a position of authority within TAI till this day.
This is not an isolated incident. Many other students in the association have faced similar experiences. However, the association lacks an Internal Committee that would be equipped to deal with these incidents as per the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013. There is also a dismissal of the perpetrators of sexual harassment within the association!
All of these incidents reflect the systemic failures within the Taekwon-Do Association of India and warrant the need of immediate action and deep-rooted investigation. There is a large culture of impunity and fear within the TAI. We must come together to demand accountability and reform within the association, which is supposed to be built on principles of discipline, respect and integrity.