Olympian swimming coach’s ‘services withheld’ after athletes allege misbehaviour in Odisha

A senior sports department official said that a coach, who is an Olympian and an Asian Games medallist, has had his “services withheld” until the completion of the inquiry.

“We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all athletes. Any violation of ethical standards or misconduct will not be tolerated, and strict measures will be enforced to ensure accountability,” read the statement issued by the state sports department.

A petition, signed by 50 athletes at the high-performance centre and addressed to the Sports Director, alleged that coaches have been misbehaving with the trainees and physically assaulting them. It was submitted on Saturday.

Subsequently, the athletes also skipped their training session and dinner in protest against the alleged behaviour of the coaches. A senior sports department official has held discussion with the protesting athletes.

The coach whose services were “withheld” has declined to comment on the matter.

The Swimming High Performance Centre at the Kalinga Stadium has been functional since 2019.