Lovlina Borgohain, the Olympic bronze medallist, accused a senior Boxing Federation of India (BFI) official of mistreating her and making her feel small by passing some sexist remarks. According to the official two-page complaint lodged by Lovlina, the incident happened during a Zoom meeting on July 8 under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
The 27-year-old boxer has submitted a written complaint to Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, SAI Director-General Hari Ranjan Rao, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), TOPS officials, and BFI.
In her communication to the concerned officials, Lovlina alleged that Col (Retd) Arun Malik, executive director of BFI and interim committee member, humiliated her when she made a formal request.
She requested the senior official to let Pranamika Boro join her as a personal coach for a training stint in Europe.
“What happened during the official meeting on July 8 left me deeply hurt and disheartened. Mr Arun Malik raised his voice at me, spoke in an aggressively demeaning tone, and blatantly told me to ‘shut up, lower your head and do as we say'," she wrote in her letter, as reported by The Times of India.
“In a space where I expected professionalism, support and mutual respect, I was made to feel small, unheard, and powerless. It was not just a personal insult — it was an attack on every woman athlete who dreams of standing tall, both in and outside the ring," she stated further.
The official denies allegations
{{/usCountry}}“In a space where I expected professionalism, support and mutual respect, I was made to feel small, unheard, and powerless. It was not just a personal insult — it was an attack on every woman athlete who dreams of standing tall, both in and outside the ring," she stated further.
The official denies allegations
{{/usCountry}}However, the BFI official Col Malik has firmly denied all the allegations, saying the meeting was "professional". “Lovlina is the pride of the nation, and we at BFI take immense pride in her achievements. Matters raised by her were addressed in accordance with BFI’s policies, which apply uniformly to all athletes,” the Times of India quoted him as saying.
The Indian Olympic Association has now formed a three-member inquiry committee to probe into the matter. The committee comprises TOPS CEO Nachhatar Singh Johal, Olympian Sharath Kamal, and a female legal expert.
On the other hand, SAI's TEAMS division, headed by Ritu Pathik, is also conducting an independent investigation into the matter.