The Indian sports ecosystem has been rocked by a major controversy after Paralympic champion Sumit Antil, alongside several leading javelin throwers like Navdeep Singh, has accused coach Naval Singh of mental harassment and verbal abuse. The complaint, which has been formally submitted to the Sports Authority of India (SAI), also includes evidence of repeated misconduct, with Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra also throwing his weight behind the athletes while demanding appropriate action from the authorities.
The controversy has once again raised uncomfortable questions about athlete welfare, accountability, and the power dynamics between coaches and elite performers in Indian sport. News18 Sports spoke to Sumit, who opened up on the pattern
of alleged misconduct, mental harassment, and repeated abuse that he claims went unchecked despite multiple complaints.
EXCERPTS
Q. You and several javelin throwers have filed a misconduct and mental harassment complaint against coach Naval Singh with SAI. Can you walk us through how it began? When did you feel the line had been crossed?
Sumit: Look, we had thought about it earlier many times. But in our minds, we always hesitated. He was our coach in 2018–19; he never trained Neeraj, but still claims he did. I even asked Neeraj bhai, and he also said that he never trained under him.
The thing is, in the beginning, no one wants to act. Every athlete ignores it, thinking, ‘Leave it, why get into all this?’ But when it crosses a limit, when your family gets dragged into it—when it’s no longer just about you but about your family’s dignity and respect—then it becomes serious.
Even now, we are late. We should have raised this issue much earlier. And the irony is—even today, when I have medals and awards, no one is listening. If no one listens today, how would they have listened earlier?
Q. You see a coach as a teacher. Sometimes you tolerate anger or harsh words. But clearly a line was crossed. When did this begin—for you or Navdeep?
Sumit: This started back then itself. In fact, that’s why we left. He used to come drunk at night and mentally harass us, using abusive language. Our teammates at the time are ready to give statements about why we left.
Even after we parted ways, when I won a medal in Tokyo, he came back asking me to refer him for the cash reward. From 2019 to 2021, I had trained under other coaches, so naturally, I would name my current coach. Still, I gave him ₹50 lakh from my own pocket as a gesture of respect for the time he trained me.
But despite that, the abuse continued. From 2021 to now (2026), it hasn’t stopped. Earlier, I used to hear recordings and delete them. But now it has crossed all limits.
Honestly, medals feel meaningless when someone can attack your dignity like this.
Q. Did you attempt to resolve the matter personally before filing a formal complaint?
Sumit: Yes, multiple times. I called him and requested him to stop. But his response was always the same—he would say, ‘Maine peekar de di (I said those things under the influence of alcohol)’.
But how long can that be an excuse? If someone commits a serious crime under the influence, does that make it acceptable? If an athlete abused an official like this, SAI would ban them immediately.
Q. What exactly was happening?
Sumit: He would send abusive messages, often targeting our families—using extremely derogatory language about mothers and sisters. Initially, I used to ignore it, listen to the recordings and delete them. Later, I blocked him. But then he started sending these abusive recordings to my management team.
Q. What happened when you raised the issue with SAI and TOPS officials?
Sumit: When I first complained to Col. N S Johal, CEO of TOPS, the coach admitted in front of them that the recordings were real and that he had said those things after drinking. Despite this, no strict action was taken. Instead, I was advised to compromise. They looked to dismiss the case somehow, by saying sorry to each other.
They assured me they would take action and told me to file a formal complaint, including officials. We filed a formal complaint around April 10, but even after a week, there has been no response. Not even an acknowledgement email.
SAI is saying he is not their employee. But he trains athletes in their premises. Camps are funded by SAI. So how can they deny responsibility? It feels like they are trying to avoid the issue rather than address it.
Did other top athletes, such as Neeraj Chopra, get involved?
Sumit: Yes. I first spoke to Navdeep, and then we informed Neeraj. He wasn’t aware initially because he mostly trains abroad. Once we shared evidence with him, he was understandably upset. No one would tolerate such language about their family.
Q. Why do you think other athletes haven’t come forward?
Sumit: Many young athletes are scared. They feel their careers might be affected. If athletes like us—who have medals—are not being heard, then how can emerging athletes expect justice?
Q. Naval Singh is currently training Sachin Yadav. Is he also facing similar issues?
Sumit: He’s still an emerging athlete, so maybe he’s tolerating it due to pressure. If big athletes like us aren’t being heard, who will listen to him?
Q. Did Naval Singh call or text you since you filed the formal complaint?
Sumit: It’s been a week since the complaint—still no response. I was shocked that the coach openly admitted everything.
Q. What is your next course of action?
Sumit: We are planning to consult a lawyer and explore legal options, including defamation and mental harassment cases. We have strong evidence. If no action is taken, it sets a dangerous example. It will send a message to younger athletes that they must tolerate everything and just focus on their medals.
Q. How does this impact the sporting environment?
Sumit: It’s extremely damaging. It encourages a culture where athletes can be mentally harassed without consequences. We want to raise our voice so that future athletes don’t have to go through this.
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