{
  "id": 15979150,
  "title": "Sexual offence charge rocks India's Asian Para Games contingent; swimmer faces ban",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/sexual-offence-charge-rocks-indias-asian-para-games-contingent",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-22T01:01:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/asian-para-games-2026/sexual-offence-charge-rocks-indias-asian-para-games-contingent-swimmer-faces-lifetime-ban/articleshow/135103520.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indian para swimmer Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh, once a world No 1 in his event, faces a lifetime ban from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) after allegedly sexually harassing and molesting a female hotel employee. The 40-year-old was detained by Japanese police following the incident at a hotel in Nagoya, where the Indian para swimming team was staying. Shaikh, who hails from Bihar’s Madhubani district and lives in Mumbai’s Dharavi, was detained on Tuesday and released after providing a written apology to the employee. The delegation apologized to the hotel authorities and the employee, and Shaikh was moved to another hotel for the night before departing Nagoya on Tuesday. The incident has embarrassed the Indian contingent at the Asian Para Games and brought disrepute to the entire delegation. The PCI has informed the government in New Delhi of the proposed action, and a formal decision will be taken after the Games.",
  "summary": "A senior PCI official, who is part of the Indian delegation in Nagoya and who handled the entire situation, confirmed the development to TOI, describing the alleged misconduct as “reprehensible and intolerable” and saying there could be “no justification” for such behaviour by an athlete representing the country on the international stage.”",
  "key_points": [
    "Indian para swimmer Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh charged with sexual harassment",
    "Shaikh faces lifetime ban from Paralympic Committee of India",
    "Incident embarrassed Indian contingent at Asian Para Games"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The proposed lifetime ban for a former world number one athlete threatens to overshadow India's performance at the Asian Para Games and damages the reputation of the entire national delegation.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Who is Suvarna Raj? Asian Para Games gold medallist who is also an advocate",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/who-is-suvarna-raj-asian-para-games-gold-medallist-who-is-also-an",
        "published": "2026-10-22T02:32:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Press Journal",
        "title": "Asian Para Games 2026: India's Suvarna Raj Wins Women's F54 Discus Gold With 15.66m Throw, Finishing Ahead Of Iran & Vietnam",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/asian-para-games-2026-indias-suvarna-raj-wins-womens-f54-discus-gold",
        "published": "2026-10-22T02:40:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}