Why PCI fired Naval Singh: What Sumit Antil’s complaint, endorsed by Neeraj Chopra, claimed

After being accused of mental harassment and verbal abuse by Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil, Dronacharya awardee coach Naval Singh has been sacked by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), a report said. Sumit Antil was backed by Neeraj Chopra while filing the complaint with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), as the two-time Olympic medallist also felt Singh's conduct had been "detrimental to athletes", the report added.

Antil, a gold medallist at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympics, alleged that Naval Singh crossed all professional boundaries, going to the extent of abusing family members of the athletes. The coach had a special dislike for him and Neeraj Chopra, he reportedly claimed.

"He mentally harassed us and abused our families—mine and Neeraj's. He would deliberately share recordings of his abusive rants with our managers so that they would reach us. He seems mentally unstable," Antil had told PTI.

Sumit Antil said that he decided to file an official complaint as things were escalating with the Los Angeles Games fast approaching. Apart from Chopra, he was reportedly backed by fellow para-javelin stars Navdeep Singh and Sandeep Chaudhary as well.

The Paralympic Committee of India  sacked Naval Singh with immediate effect on Saturday, based on the complaint, a leading news channel said. The apex governing body dedicated to promoting and developing Para Sport in the country may also set up an enquiry against the Dronacharya awardee after further discussions, the report added.

 Naval Singh , who was confered the Dronacharya Award in 2015, is currently coaching Sachin Yadav, another star javelin thrower that India has high hopes on.