Tokyo Olympics bronze medal winning boxer Lovlina Borgohain has alleged mental harassment just days before the start of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Borgohain put out a lengthy statement on her social media handles on Monday, stating that her coach Sandhya Gurung, who is assistant coach in the boxing contingent for the Games, is not being allowed in the CWG Village while her "other coach" had been sent back.
“Every time my coaches who helped me win a medal at the Olympics have been removed from my training process and competition. One of these coaches, Sandhya Gurung ji, is also a Dronacharya awardee. Despite thousands of requests, they are always allowed late for my training. This hampers my training and puts me through a lot of hardships and mental harassmen," Lovlina says in the statment.
“Now, my coach Sandhya Gurung ji is out of the Commonwealth Village as she is not allowed entry and my training has been brought to a halt eight days before the Games. My other coach has been sent back to India, despite me requesting multiple times. I don’t understand how I am supposed to focus on my game. This situation ruined my performance during the last world championships also. I don’t want this politics to ruin my Commonwealth Games too. I hope I can break through this politics and win a medal for my country. Jai Hind.”
{{/usCountry}}“Now, my coach Sandhya Gurung ji is out of the Commonwealth Village as she is not allowed entry and my training has been brought to a halt eight days before the Games. My other coach has been sent back to India, despite me requesting multiple times. I don’t understand how I am supposed to focus on my game. This situation ruined my performance during the last world championships also. I don’t want this politics to ruin my Commonwealth Games too. I hope I can break through this politics and win a medal for my country. Jai Hind.”
{{/usCountry}}The Birmingham CWG starts on July 28. Gurung and sports psychologist Gayatri Vartak were late inclusions in the the Indian contingent. Dronacharya awardee Gurung has been working closely with Lovlina.
Gurung is credited with pulling Lovlina out of a difficult mental place before the Tokyo Olympics, had travelled with the boxing contingent to Ireland where the pugilists underwent a 15-day camp. On arrival in Birmingham, she was stuck at the airport as she was a last-minute addition to India's CWG contingent and her accreditation hadn't arrived, according to PTI. She was checked in to the hotel where the extra officials are staying.
Lovlina is just the third Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal, after Vijender Singh (men’s middleweight bronze, Beijing 2008) and MC Mary Kom (women’s flyweight bronze, London 2012).