Just hours after historic Commonwealth Games success, Indian Para Athletes Raise Misconduct Allegations.
India’s para athletes made history at the Commonwealth Games 2026, winning seven medals and ending the country’s 20-year wait for a para athletics medal at the Games. But just days after returning from Glasgow, celebrations have been overshadowed by a controversy.
Gold medallist Dilip Mahadu Gavit and silver medallist Mohammed Basil M have filed complaints with the Sports Ministry and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) over the rude and disrespectful behaviour by an IOA official during the Games.
Historic Performance Turns Into Controversy.
The Indian para athletics team had one of its best performances at the Commonwealth Games.The men’s T47 100m was the highlight, where Dilip Mahadu Gavit won gold in a Commonwealth Games record run of 10.71 seconds and Mohammed Basil M won silver with season-best 10.83 seconds.
The team also earned three double-podium wins which makes it India’s most successful para athletics campaign.
Athletes and Coaches file complaints.
According to a report by The Times of India, Gavit and Basil filed separate complaints against Sarvesh Kedia, a member of the IOA's media committee.
Para athletics coach Pushpa NP also filed a complaint, while Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) CEO Rahul Swami supposedly submitted a similar complaint.
The complaints allege that the official had treated para athletes and coaches rudely and disrespectfully at the Games.
What happened?
The alleged incident took place on July 30, shortly after Gavit won India's first ever men's para athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
The disagreements started on whether the athletes should attend media interviews before completing the mandatory dope-control process, the report said.
The arguments got heated up and even turned into a physical fight before coaches and athletes intervened to separate them.The incident deeply upset all Indian para athletics team members.
Demand for Action
In her complaint, Pushpa NP requested that Sarvesh Kedia should not be involved in future para athletics media interaction.
The athletes, coaches and PCI officials have also asked the Sports Ministry and the IOA to investigate the matter and take appropriate disciplinary action.At the time of writing, the IOA has not officially responded to the allegations.
Historic Success Overshadowed
The controversy has taken attention away from India's great performance in para athletics at the Commonwealth Games.
The seven medals won by the team, including the country's first-ever men's para athletics gold, were a significant achievement for Indian sports.
The complaints, however, have since then moved to athlete welfare and the behaviour of officials at international events.
India’s para athletes returned from the Commonwealth Games 2026 with their names written clean in history, but now their achievements are being overshadowed by allegations of misconduct from an IOA official.Complaints are being investigated by both the Sports Ministry and Indian Olympic Association.