A Kazakh cycling coach, Maksat Ayazbayev, is being sought in India over allegations of raping a minor athlete. Police have seized his passport and issued a lookout notice to prevent him from leaving the country. The Cycling Federation of Kazakhstan has issued a statement, according to infohub.kz.
According to The Times of India, the 34-year-old Ayazbayev worked as a coach for the Indian national cycling team. Local police say the alleged crime took place on September 13 at the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Patiala, where the minor cyclist was attending a training camp.
After the athlete came forward on September 18, police registered a criminal case under India's POCSO law on the protection of children from sexual offences.
According to Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Harmandeep Singh Hans, Ayazbayev's whereabouts could not be established after the complaint was filed.
"We registered a criminal case immediately after receiving the complaint from the athlete. At that time the accused coach was in Delhi, and his whereabouts have been unknown since then," Hans said.
According to the publication, police seized the Kazakh national's passport and set up two teams to search for him. A Look Out Circular has also been issued — a notice to border and immigration services intended to prevent the suspect from leaving India. The search is reportedly underway in Delhi and the National Capital Region.
Ayazbayev was due to travel with the Indian team to Japan for the Asian Games, but his travel permission was revoked after the case was opened. According to the Indian publication, the Cycling Federation of India has also suspended the coach pending the investigation.
The Cycling Federation of Kazakhstan stressed that Ayazbayev has worked abroad in recent years and is not currently connected to the Kazakh national team.
"In recent years, Maksat Ayazbayev has worked professionally outside Kazakhstan under a contract with the Indian side, preparing the Indian national cycling team. His professional activity has recently been tied specifically to the Indian team. Indian media also report on his work with the Indian team and his preparation of athletes for international competitions. Maksat Ayazbayev currently has no connection to the Kazakh national team," the statement said.
The federation added that it does not intend to assess the circumstances of the case before the investigation in India is completed.
"We believe it is right not to draw premature conclusions or make assessments before the official investigation is completed and all circumstances of the case are established by India's competent authorities. The Kazakhstan Cycling Federation has no grounds to comment on the circumstances of the investigation being conducted by Indian law enforcement and will rely solely on official information from the competent authorities. At the same time, it is important to separate the actions of a specific individual from the activities of Kazakhstan's national cycling and its national team," the federation said.
The investigation in India continues. As of publication, Ayazbayev's guilt has not been established by a court.
Maksat Ayazbayev is a former Kazakh professional road cyclist. In recent years he continued his career as a coach and, according to the Cycling Federation of Kazakhstan, worked under a contract with the Indian side.
The investigation in India continues. As of publication, no conviction has been handed down against Ayazbayev.