Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra and Paralympic champion Sumit Antil have submitted their formal complaint about Dronacharya awardee coach Naval Singh whom they accuse of mental harassment and verbal abuse to the Sports Authority of India.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) confirmed receipt of the complaint but SAI explained that Naval Singh does not work for their organization. According to officials the coach currently works with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) while he trains a different top athlete at a national coaching camp.

Double Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil accused the coach of using verbal abuse throughout his training sessions which led to him and Neeraj Chopra losing mental stability. “He mentally harassed us and abused our families. His behaviour has been deeply disturbing,” Antil said.

Antil accused the coach of using his alleged abusive comments which he recorded to distribute them to team managers for delivery to athletes. He also questioned the intent behind such actions suggesting it may be aimed at unsettling top performers.

Neeraj Chopra and fellow para-athletes Navdeep Singh and Sandeep Chaudhary have been reported to support the complaint which has been submitted to SAI.

SAI confirmed through a source that they are currently reviewing the case. “Sumit Antil has submitted a complaint which accuses coach Naval Singh of using verbal abuse. The complaint includes support from other athletes who back Neeraj Chopra. The coach however does not work at SAI because he currently serves AFI in a national camp,” the source said.

Antil also expressed concern over the response from authorities stating that the issue had not been adequately addressed despite being raised earlier with senior officials including those linked to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).

“We had ignored it for a long time, but it became unbearable. Even after raising the issue, there has been little response. If athletes of our stature are not heard, it raises concerns for others,” he said.

Naval Singh, a recipient of the Dronacharya Award in 2015, is currently coaching javelin thrower Sachin Yadav, who finished ahead of Neeraj Chopra at the World Championships last year.

The controversy has brought attention to athlete welfare and the need for stricter oversight within coaching setups, with stakeholders now awaiting further action from the concerned authorities.