Thiruvananthapuram: Finally, Kerala Cricket Association has come out expressing their position regarding the scandalous controversy in connection with the sexual abuse of minor girls by coach M Manu. While speaking to reporters at Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, Jayesh George, President, KCA,  said that the association would stand strongly with the victims and would not protect Manu.
"KCA made mistakes while handling the issue. We admit that. We are not justifying Manu's actions. We have decided to cancel his coaching certification. He was not only a coach of girls. From now on, KCA will make a police clearance certificate mandatory for new coaches," Jayesh said. 

“Neither the victims nor their family members have raised allegations against KCA. Nobody has complained that KCA threatened them to withdraw the complaints against Manu. The only people who raise allegations against KCA are those who had some bitter experience with KCA in the past. The bickering between the coaches too have made the situation worse. It is these people with some scores to settle with KCA who are behind the propagation of the news that KCA is protecting the coach. They repeat the same in news channels also”, he said. 

“KCA came to know about such a complaint for the first time in 2022 when a complaint was lodged with the association secretary. KCA had cooperated with the investigation, then. Manu was not the coach of trainee girls alone. TDCA had given clear instructions that one of the parents should be present during the training sessions. We also have security staff and cameras here”, Jayesh said.

When the investigation in connection with this case was going on, the girl, who lodged the complaint, other trainee girls and their parents had appeared before the officials of KCA and had said that they don’t have any complaint against Manu. They said that they had lodged the complaint to wreak vengeance on Manu in connection with the selection of the team. They also said that when some of them visited the house of Manu, they found him in a desperate mood. If they had not visited him, he would have committed suicide, they said. But, KCA’s stand regarding this issue is that since the police have started the investigation, we are helpless to take a position”, he said. 

KCA will organise counselling for those girls who underwent training under Manu, with the support of the Child Rights Commission. A Grievance Redressal Cell for Women would also be formed. The trainees of KCA would be given counselling. It would be made mandatory that one of the parents of trainees should be present during the training sessions, said Jayesh.