India boxer Lovlina Borgohain has alleged ‘mental harassment’ due to constant changes in coaches, which is hampering her preparations for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
In a tweet, the 24-year-old boxer from Assam said that she has been facing problems in training after authorities denied entry to her coaches in the Commonwealth Games Village.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain said that one of her coaches has been sent home and another has been denied entry to the Commonwealth Games Village. The Birmingham Commonwealth Games will be held from July 28 till August 9.
“Today with great sorrow I want to reveal that harassment is going on with me. The coaches who helped me win the Olympic medal were removed which hindered my training process. One of the coaches is Sandhya Gurungji, who is a Dronacharya awardee. Both of my coaches have to plead to be included in the training camp and they are added quite late,” Lovlina said in a tweet.
“Right now, my coach Sandhya Gurungji is outside Commonwealth Village. With all this, my training process has stopped exactly 8 days before the games. My second coach has also been sent back to India. This happened even after I made many requests, due to which I have suffered a lot of mental harassment. I don’t know how to focus in the game. Due to this my last world championship was also spoiled. And because of this politics I do not want to spoil my CWG. I hope that I could break this politics and win a medal for my country. Jai Hind,” she wrote.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has issued a statement on July 25, saying that the federation is trying to give her all kinds of support.
Reacting to the post of Lovlina Borgohain, the sports ministry tweeted: “We have urged the Indian Olympic Association to immediately arrange for the accreditation of the coach of Lovlina Borgohain.”
The BFI said that the federation is closely working with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) so that Sandhya Gurung, coach of Lovlina Borgohain, could be a part of the team in Birmingham.
“Only 33 per cent of the playing contingent is allowed as ‘support staff’ which in BFI’s case for the 12 boxers (eight men and four women) stands to be four support staff (including coaches) who were to travel with the team to Burmingham,” BFI said.
“Boxing Federation of India ensured that Lovlina Borgohain’s coach Sandhya Gurung was at the training camp in Ireland. BFI is closely working with IOA so that Sandhya Gurung could be a part of the team in Birmingham. In the meanwhile, delegate transport and accommodation at ETO’s hotel has been already provided to her,” BFI said in a release.
“The requirements of boxing with respect to coaches and support staff is a little different as there are multiple bouts, which could be one after another. The IOA understood BFI’s point of view and therefore, extended help with maximum possible additional support staff. With IOA’s help the number of support staff went up from four to eight for the entire contingent of 12 boxers,” the BFI said.
The star boxer said that her preparations for the major events have been constantly impacted because of her coaches, who helped her to a historic medal in Tokyo, being removed without explanations.
The boxer sealed the berth in the Indian team for the CWG in the 70 kg event with a dominating 7-0 win against Railways Pooja in the selection trials held in Delhi.
Lovlina scripted history when she won the women’s 69 kg bronze medal at Tokyo 2020, becoming the third Indian boxer to win a medal at the Olympics after Vijender Singh (bronze at Beijing 2008) and Mary Kom (bronze at London 2012).
