Gender counselling classes for BCCI CEO Johri expected to be done in 10 days, says Vinod Rai

The Supreme Court-mandated Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai on Friday said an agency will be hired within the next 10 days to deal with recommended gender sensitisation classes for Board of Control for Cricket in India Chief Executive Officer Rahul Johri, two months after he was exonerated by a panel for alleged sexual harassment.

While Johri was cleared in November, lawyer Veena Gowda, member of the three-member panel investigating the sexual harassment allegations, recommended gender sensitisation classes for the CEO after finding his behaviour “unprofessional and inappropriate” on one occasion.

“Gender sensitisation will be pursued as per the recommendation of the inquiry committee, under the supervision of BCCI’s Prevention Of Sexual Harassment Committee and it will be done without any delay.” Rai was quoted as saying by PTI. “I expect it to be done within the next 10 days.”

Earlier, the COA had considered gender counselling for the Indian team in the wake of sexist comments made by cricketer Hardik Pandya. However, little progress has been made in implementing the recommendation concerning Johri.

Rai also insisted that Johri has no problem attending the classes. “The CEO is willing to undergo gender sensitisation process,” said Rai. “There is no issue there.”

Fellow COA member Diana Edulji also welcomed the chairman’s move. There was a delay because Rai and Edulji differed on the choice of agency to be hired for the gender sensitisation classes.

Edulji did not want the company [Kapgrow] which had conducted a POSH [Prevention of Sexual Harassment] training programme for BCCI employees earlier this year and therefore, Gowda was entrusted with the job of recommending names of two agencies.

The fact that the BCCI’s internal complaint committee chief Karina Kriplani resigned in October also contributed to the delay. “The new BCCI POSH committee has had two meetings on the issue,” said an unidentified BCCI official. “In its third meeting, which will happen before the end of the month, it will finalise the agency which will provide gender training to the CEO.”

Gowda, when asked to comment on the BCCI not arranging gender sensitisation classes for its CEO so far, said: “I gave my point of view in my recommendation. I have nothing more to add to it.” Johri had resumed office immediately after getting a clean chit from the probe panel.