Coach Naval Singh Dismissed Amid Harassment Allegations
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) has terminated coach Naval Singh following serious allegations of harassment from athletes Neeraj Chopra and Sumit Antil. The decision was made on April 18, and it took effect immediately.
PCI Chief Devendra Jhajhariya confirmed the news to Aaj Tak, mentioning that there are plans to initiate an inquiry into the accusations against Singh.
Sumit Antil, a gold medalist in the Paralympics, has formally complained to the Sports Authority of India (SAI), claiming that Singh verbally abused him and inflicted mental harassment. Neeraj Chopra, an Olympic champion, has come forward in support of Antil, highlighting the negative impact Singh’s behavior has had on their training and well-being.
Antil stated that Singh would frequently direct his harsh words towards both him and Chopra, even extending his verbal attacks to their families. “He mentally harassed us and spoke poorly about our families,” Antil told reporters, expressing concern over Singh’s state of mind. He decided to take action as the situation continued to escalate.
According to Antil, Singh would send recordings of his abusive tirades to their managers, ensuring that the athletes would be made aware of his comments.
Naval Singh, who received the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2015, is currently coaching Sachin Yadav. Last year, Yadav placed fourth in the World Championships, outperforming Chopra, who finished eighth while nursing an injury. As of now, Singh has not publicly addressed the allegations against him.
Antil’s complaint has garnered support from fellow para javelin throwers Navdeep Singh and Sandeep Chaudhary, raising questions about Singh’s motives and the impact his actions had on the athletes’ competitive spirit.
