
All hell broke loose for theIndian Olympic Association's (IOA) treasurerand Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association secretaryAnandeshwar Pandey when aplethora of images of him in a compromising position with multiple women emergedonline.
As a result,a complaint was filed against Pandey — a former national-level runner — on the Chief Minister's portal, with a copybeing sent to the district magistrate.
Lucknow Regional Sports Officer Ajay Sethiasked Pandey for an explanation via a letter where hewrote, "Anandeshwar Pandey is staying in the KD Singh'Babu' Stadium in Lucknow, beside which there is a girls' hostel. The viral photos showing him in a compromising position are bringing a bad name to Uttar Pradesh."
Nonetheless, Pandey has opened up on the whole controversy and has denied all allegations, calling them baseless and a political conspiracy to demean and defame him. PandeytoldThe Bridge, "Somebody is out to defame me. I have made a complaint against unnamed individuals, but this is a political conspiracy and there must be a big person's hand behind it."
"If any of the athletes who come to train ever complains against me, hang me. I will kill myself. I have been in sports since the 1970s, there has never been any such incident," he added.
After such a strong response from the IOA treasurer, it remains to be seen what unfolds further in the controversy, which has certainly brought a lot of shame for Pandey.