NEW DELHI: Two-time Paralympic medallist Sumit Antil has levelled serious allegations of mental harassment and abusive behaviour against javelin coach Naval Singh, with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra extending his support to the complaint filed with the Sports Authority of India (SAI).According to a report by The Bridge, multiple elite Indian javelin throwers submitted a written complaint to SAI on April 10, accusing the coach of repeated verbal abuse, mental harassment, and inappropriate conduct. The complaint was also raised with officials from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Antil, who initiated the complaint, described a pattern of behaviour that he claims crossed professional boundaries.“I have always been a clean athlete, and I don’t want to be part of any controversy. I tried to explain to him multiple times, but this is not the first time. It has gone beyond my patience level,” Antil said, as quoted in the report.He further alleged that the coach would send abusive audio messages. “He gets drunk and sends random recordings abusing us and dragging our families into it. He tends to behave this way when competitions approach,” Antil added.The report also claimed that emails submitted to SAI included audio recordings in which Singh is allegedly heard verbally abusing Antil, Chopra, Navdeep Singh and even Pakistan’s Olympic medallist Arshad Nadeem.
Neeraj Chopra backs athletes, seeks action
Backing his fellow athletes, Chopra strongly condemned the alleged conduct and called for strict action.“I stand in full agreement with my fellow athletes and strongly demand strict action in this matter,” Chopra wrote in his email to authorities.“I write this as an athlete who has had the honour of representing India at both national and international levels. Sport must uphold dignity, discipline, and respect. The statements made by coach Naval Singh are not just inappropriate; they are disgraceful,” he added.Antil revealed that he had earlier approached SAI officials, including Deputy Director Arunlal and TOPS CEO Nash Johal, and even participated in discussions aimed at resolving the issue. However, he rejected attempts at compromise, citing repeated incidents.“The language used has been extremely degrading, not only towards athletes but also towards our families,” Antil said, adding that despite multiple complaints, no action has yet been taken against the coach.
