New Delhi: India’s Commonwealth Games (CWG) squad is under scrutiny after the last member of the 191-strong contingent, 16-year-old Lisha Das, was “deeply disappointed” by the lack of a female coach or assistants on the track, raising concerns about security and less security.In an email to the sports authorities, Lisha wrote: “I am writing this email with great sadness… I am a young female para-athlete. I needed a female escort and a medical assistant. We submitted a parental consent form to name Asha Shaikh, my physiotherapist, as a co-worker… Proper training, medical care, safety of the athletes must come first.”” “Despite several testimonies from my parents, my coach, and me, the matter is still not resolved, while the responsibility continues to be changed between the organizations. It is very sad that the athlete continues to suffer when the officials are involved in the wrong game. One of the most frustrating things in this whole field is the constant shifting of responsibility. Every time it happens: the CFI says that the responsibility is PCI or PCI. This one says that the responsibility is PCI. The parents should be blamed for the failure of the administration, ” he added. The CWG team, cleared by the Ministry of Sports on July 9, has 126 athletes, 51 officials and 14 workers. Although every other discipline has one female coach, physiotherapist or medical worker, cycling and para cycling are the only ways without female assistants.The omission appears to be inconsistent with the Sports Authority of India’s June 15, 2022 circular mandating a female coach for matches and female players at domestic and international camps and tournaments, including appointing male and female referees to protect female athletes.Four years ago, when the country’s sports authorities were rocked by two complaints of abuse by female athletes in cycling and sailing against their coaches, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) came up with the official guidelines on June 15, 2022, with the aim of protecting the sport from harassment and discrimination against women. “Women coaches should be included in the team of female athletes during the domestic/international camp and exhibition periods; and a referee (male and female) to be appointed in all training camps and external events,” said the SAI office.It should be noted that the Indian cricket team (BCCI) recently allowed the parents of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to accompany him on India’s tour of Ireland and England, with the funds provided by the organization to ensure compliance with child protection laws and ease his transition to the big stage.The four assistants accompanying the cyclists are male coach Kevin Rene Michel Sireau, male physiotherapist Prahlad Priyadarshi, male expert Rahul Nagappan Assari and male para cycling coach Dattatraya Katkam. However, of late, Lisha’s former coach Aditya Jitendra Kumar Mehta has “replaced” Dattatreya in the official team. Dattatreya is currently an official of the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) and can travel free of charge ‘just to the state’ following the latest NSF ministerial guidelines that are traveling with the CWG team. However, Lisha’s main wishes were not met: the appointment of a female trainer or assistants, including physiotherapist Asha, and a specialist to assemble and repair her special racing bike.