Indian para swimmer Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh has left the Asian Para Games in Nagoya and returned to India after Japanese police detained him over allegations of sexual harassment and molestation.
The allegations against the 40-year-old, who was due to compete at the Games, were made by a female hotel employee. He left Japan on Tuesday, a day after the alleged incident, without taking part in any of his events.
Per the details of the incident, the housekeeping employee had entered Shaikh’s hotel room to do her job. She reported the matter to her superiors, and the complaint then reached the local organising committee and Indian delegation officials.
Japanese police stepped in, detained Shaikh and questioned him with members of the Indian delegation present.
The Paralympic Committee of India is also reportedly considering disciplinary action against Shaikh, including a possible lifetime ban. The committee expects to make a final decision after the Games.
Shaikh will have the chance to present his side before it decides.
Hailing from Bihar, Shaikh has represented India at several international competitions. According to World Para Swimming records, he previously held the world No. 1 ranking in the men’s 100m butterfly S5 and 50m breaststroke SB4 categories.
He won gold in the 200m breaststroke at the Reykjavik International Games in 2025 and has set Indian and Asian records.
He also competed at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta. The Nagoya Games would have been his third consecutive appearance at the event.
