Indian athletics have been shocked after two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra and Paralympic gold medalist Sumit Antil filed a formal complaint against javelin coach Naval Singh. Submitted to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on April 10, the report alleges continuous mental harassment and the use of abusive language.
Official complaint filed by Neeraj Chopra
According to a report by The Bridge, the complaint was triggered by what the athletes described as "prolonged" misconduct by Naval Singh, who coaches javelin thrower Sachin Yadav currently. While opening up on the situation, Sumit Antil said that things had gone beyond his patience level, forcing them to drag senior officials from SAI and PCI into the matter.
The matter was taken up with SAI Deputy Director Arunlal and Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) CEO Nash Johal. Meanwhile, authorities offered a mutual compromise, but the athletes forced a formal investigation.
What had actually happened?
The allegations emphasised on the repeated offense of using abusive language and verbal slurs towards the athletes and their families. According to The Bridge, the complaint was submitted with audio recordings in which Singh can be heard abusing elite athletes, including the likes of Neeraj Chopra, Navdeep Singh.
Sumit further added that the coach often made these recordings, particularly in the lead-up to major tournaments.