Commonwealth Games para-athletics medallists Dilip Mahadu Gavit and Mohammad Basil Morssinganakathi have reportedly lodged complaints alleging misbehaviour by a member of the Indian Olympic Association’s media committee during the recently concluded Games in Glasgow.
According to a report in The Times of India, para-athletics coach Pushpa NP has also submitted a complaint regarding the alleged incident. Paralympic Committee of India CEO Rahul Swami has reportedly raised a similar matter with the Sports Ministry and the IOA.
The complaints have reportedly named Sarvesh Kedia, an IOA media committee member who travelled to Glasgow as one of India’s press attaches and was assigned to the office of the chef de mission.
The alleged confrontation reportedly occurred after Gavit and Basil had secured historic medals for India in the men’s T47 100m final. Gavit produced a Games record of 10.71 seconds to win gold, becoming the first Indian male para athlete to claim a Commonwealth Games athletics gold medal. Basil followed him across the finish line in 10.83 seconds, securing silver and completing a memorable 1-2 finish for India.
According to the report, tensions arose when arrangements were being discussed for athletes’ media interactions before the medal winners proceeded for mandatory dope control procedures.
A heated exchange allegedly took place between Kedia and chief para athletics coach Satyanarayana. The situation reportedly escalated into a brief physical confrontation before athletes and coaches intervened to prevent matters from worsening.
Kedia was among 14 IOA officials accompanying India’s combined able-bodied and para-athletics contingent at the Games.
Pushpa, according to the report, alleged that Kedia “spoke loudly” with Gavit, Basil and members of the coaching staff. She reportedly said the incident involved Kedia and Satyanarayana and requested authorities to take appropriate action.
She also reportedly urged officials to ensure that Kedia “isn’t involved in any para athletics media interaction” in the future.
The reported altercation has caused concern within India’s para-athletics contingent, with athletes, coaches and officials said to have subsequently raised formal complaints with the Sports Ministry and IOA.
The development comes at a particularly significant time for Indian para athletics, with Gavit and Basil’s historic performance marking one of the country’s standout moments at the Commonwealth Games.
The complaints are now expected to be examined by the relevant authorities. The allegations remain subject to investigation, and no conclusion regarding the conduct of those involved has been established based solely on the reported complaints.
For the Indian contingent, the immediate focus remains on building on the success achieved by Gavit and Basil while ensuring that the athletes’ participation and media responsibilities are handled appropriately.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
