Storm over snowshoe athlete abuse arrest

Porcupine Inn, where the Indian snowshoe team manager and coach Abid Khan stayed

Officials at the Snowshoe Federation of India, headquartered in Jammu & Kashmir, are still trying to process that 24-year-old Indian snowshoe athlete Tanveer Hussain has been detained and charged with sexually abusing a minor girl in the USA. Reports emerging from there claim that he was engaged in a kiss with a young 12-year-old girl.

Tanveer Hussain (centre) from a post on the Snowshoe Federation of India Facebook account

'Acted in individual capacity'
Snowshoeing is virtually unknown in India, but a snowshoe is footwear for walking in the snow without sinking. Hussain was representing India, along with manager and coach Abid Khan at the World Snowshoe Championships, held at Saranac Lake in upstate New York, which wrapped up on February 25.

Mudassar Mir, president of the Snowshoe Federation of India, said, "This is hugely unfortunate. I am not travelling with the team and heard of the incident from Abid. Now of course, I am reading about it on the Internet."

Since the competition where, "India did just okay" said Mir, had already wrapped up, "this is about an individual who was acting in an individual capacity. Though I am realistic enough to realise that the country and the Snowshoe Federation of India will crop up in reports."

Visa denied
However, drama had ensued even before the snowshoe athletes had left India as there were a slew of reports about how Hussain and Khan had been denied a visa to the USA. At the time, it was US President Donald Trump's executive order banning Muslims from seven countries and other visa denials that was big news and this became fodder. Ultimately though, after lobbying by locals and senators, Hussain and Khan were allowed to enter the competition. Mir admits to being "disturbed" but adds, "The law will have to take its course. We (the Federation) have full faith in the US justice system."

He also revealed that after the hearing scheduled for Monday, March 6, "the Federation will give an official statement. Right now, I cannot say anything other than this is hugely, ‘unfortunate' because it is sub-judice."