Neeraj Chopra, Sumit Antil and other top stars accuse javelin coach Naval Singh of harassment: Report

Neeraj Chopra has reportedly lent his support to two-time Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil and other top Indian javelin throwers who have accused coach Naval Singh of alleged harassment and abusive language in their complaint to the Sports Authority of India.

Chopra, Antil and other top athletes have accused Naval, who currently trains rising star Sachin Yadav, of mental harassment and repetitive use of foul language in a written complaint to the national sports body that was submitted on Friday, 10 April, according to a report on The Bridge.

The matter has since been raised with officials belonging to the Paralympic Committee of India in addition to SAI, the report added, with Antil claiming to have the backing of former Olympic and World Championships gold medallist Chopra.

"I have always been a clean athlete and I don’t want to be part of any controversy. I tried to explain to him (coach Naval Singh) multiple times, but this is not the first time. It has gone beyond my patience level," Antil was quoted as telling the website.

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"He gets drunk and sends random recordings abusing us and dragging our families in it. He tends to behave this way when competitions approach," he continued.

'Deeply disrespectful remarks about our mothers'

And it's not just Indian athletes who have been subjected to such behaviour, with Naval having also allegedly targeted Pakistani star Arshad Nadeem. Antil further claimed that SAI and Target Olympic Podium Scheme officials have tried to resolve the matter through compromise, but he wasn't going to let it pass any further.

Veteran javelin coach Naval Singh, a recipient of the prestigious Dronacharya Award, has coached Paralympic gold medallists Sumit Antil and Navdeep Singh among others. Image credit: X/@Navaldrona

"The language used has been extremely degrading, not only towards athletes but also towards our families, including deeply disrespectful remarks about our mothers and even about esteemed athletes like Neeraj Chopra, Navdeep Singh and Sandeep Chaudhary," the 27-year-old para-javelin star continued.

“Additionally, threats related to misuse of authority, including false allegations, have caused fear among athletes. I have already raised this issue through formal discussions with the CEO of TOPS in the presence of SDO Para and other officials.

“This ongoing situation has severely affected my mental well-being, dignity and sense of safety. I feel deeply distressed that despite giving my best for the country, I am subjected to such an environment. I am ready to submit audio evidence and fully cooperate in any investigation,” Antil added.

Chopra calls for 'immediate and decisive action'

Chopra, who had become the first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal in athletics during the Tokyo 2020 games, described Naval's behaviour as "disgraceful" and urged SAI to take "immediate and decisive action" against the Dronacharya Award recipient.

"I stand in full agreement with my fellow athletes and strongly demand strict action in this matter," Chopra wrote.

“I write this as an athlete who has had the honor of representing India at both national and international levels, and who firmly believes that sport must uphold dignity, discipline, and respect. The statements made by coach Naval Singh are not just inappropriate, they are disgraceful.

"Abusive language directed at me, my family, and fellow athletes cross every boundary of professionalism and basic human decency. I am shocked and disappointed to hear such derogatory comments. This kind of behavior from a person in authority is intolerable and brings disrepute to the sporting system as a whole.

"I urge the Sports Authority of India to take immediate and decisive action. There must be clear consequences for such conduct, along with strict accountability, to ensure that no athlete has to endure this kind of behavior again," he added.

The report also alleges that former PCI president and 2016 Paralympics silver medallist Deepa Malik had also been subjected to abuse behaviour from Naval more than a decade ago, which had affected her preparations for the 2012 London Paralympics and the 2014 Asian Para Games.

One of Naval's trainees was also believed to have filed a court case against Malik ahead of the 2016 Rio Paralympics, which led to severe mental harassment.