Neeraj Chopra and Sumit Antil NEW DELHI: Two-time Paralympic medalist Sumit Antil has leveled serious allegations of mental harassment and abusive behavior against javelin coach Naval Singh, with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra extending his support to a complaint filed with the Sports Authority of India (SAI).According to a report by The Bridge, several elite Indian javelin throwers filed a written complaint with the SAI on April 10, accusing the coach of repeated verbal abuse, mental harassment and misconduct. A complaint was also raised with officials from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
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Bombay Sport Exchange: Munaf Patel on Gautam Gambhir, Virat vs Bumrah and Indian bowling. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Antil, who initiated the complaint, described a pattern of behavior that he claims crossed professional lines.“I have always been a clean athlete and I don’t want to be part of any controversy. I have tried to explain it to him several times, but this is not the first time. It has exceeded my patience level,” Antil said, as quoted in the report.He further claimed that the coach would send abusive audio messages. “He gets drunk and sends random videos abusing us and involving our families. He tends to act like this when competitions are coming up,” Antil added.The report also claimed that the emails sent by SAI contained audio recordings in which Singh is allegedly heard verbally attacking Antila, Chopra, Navdeep Singh and even Pakistan’s Olympic medalist Arshad Nadeem.
Neeraj Chopra supports athletes, looks for action
Supporting his fellow athletes, Chopra strongly condemned the alleged behavior and called for strict action.“I fully agree with my fellow athletes and strongly demand strict action in this matter,” Chopra wrote in his email to the authorities.“I am writing this as a sportsperson who has had the honor of representing India nationally and internationally. Sports must maintain dignity, discipline and respect. Coach Naval Singh’s statements 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 had even participated in discussions aimed at resolving the issue. However, he rejected attempts at compromise, citing repeated incidents.“The language used was extremely demeaning, not only to the athletes but also to our families,” Antil said, adding that despite numerous complaints, no action has yet been taken against the coach.
