Bangladesh’s premier shooter Kamrunnahar Koly has dismissed the allegations that led to the Bangladesh Shooting Sports Federation (BSSF) handing her a one-year suspension, insisting she did nothing wrong and suggesting the decision was influenced by resentment over her earlier complaints against a top official.
“I never expected anything good from this adhoc committee and don't expect something good in the future,” Koly told The Daily Star on Tuesday in response to her suspension.
The federation confirmed the ban on Monday following an executive committee meeting on February 2. Koly had been under temporary suspension since early January for allegedly breaching the national team training camp’s code of conduct.
In its letter, the BSSF accused Koly of violating seven clauses and referred to an incident at the federation office on January 25, alleging that she displayed “extremely indecent, insulting, threatening, and aggressive behavior” toward the general secretary, executive committee members, officers and staff in the presence of a police officer. The federation said the incident damaged discipline and the organization’s reputation, and imposed the ban under Articles 16.20 and 16.21 of its constitution.
Koly, however, rejected that version of events.
“Whatever they mentioned in the letter, things like being very indecent, showing disrespectful and threatening behaviour towards the BSSF officials are not right because I did not do such things. Rather, former shooters pressed them in an attempt to withdraw the temporary suspension placed on me. I left the place with regret,” she said.
The shooter believes the punishment is linked to the allegations she had earlier raised against BSSF joint secretary GM Haider Sajjad.
"The allegations I brought against one of their bosses were proved by the investigation committee and he was suspended by the National Sports Council. I think they took such a decision based upon anger toward me,” she added.
Bangladesh Olympic Association secretary general Jobayedur Rahman Rana backed Koly's reasoning, saying that the decision was driven by anger.
“We were supposed to sit with the shooting officials and the shooters on February 7 to look into the matter. But now we expect to meet them on February 17 to find a solution, because Kamrunnahar Koly is under an IOC Olympic scholarship. I think there are some ‘buts’ in the sanction the shooting federation handed her. The decision the federation took was an emotional one, driven by anger. We will try to resolve it," he told The Daily Star on Tuesday.
Koly, the only Bangladeshi shooter to score 629 in the 10m air rifle qualification at the 2022 ISSF World Championship in Egypt, now hopes a change in administration will open the door for her return.
“Now, I'm looking forward to the future as the country is going to get a new government after the February 12 elections and then this adhoc committee is likely to be replaced by another one. I will request them to reconsider my suspension,” she said.
Koly's absence leaves a significant gap in the national team, while another leading shooter, Shaira Afrin, has reportedly stepped away from the sport amid the ongoing turmoil.
