Lovlina Borgohain alleges misconduct by BFI official, IOA launches probe
The incident occurred during a meeting on Lovlina Borgohain's training plans for the upcoming AIBA Women’s World Championships.
A file image of Lovlina Borgohain. (Photo:X)
Guwahati, Aug 8: Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain has accused a senior Boxing Federation of India (BFI) official of “disrespectful and gender-discriminatory behaviour”, prompting the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to launch an inquiry.
In a complaint letter accessed by The Assam Tribune, Lovlina described the incident as one that “left me deeply hurt, disheartened, and questioning the respect and dignity we, as women athletes, truly receive.”
The Khel Ratna and Arjuna awardee alleged that the official demeaned her achievements and addressed her in an “aggressively demeaning manner.”
“He raised his voice at me, spoke in an authoritarian tone, and blatantly told me to ‘shut up, lower your head and do as we say.’ This wasn’t just a personal insult – it was an attack on every woman athlete who dreams of standing tall, both in and outside the ring,” she wrote.
The confrontation allegedly took place during a virtual meeting to discuss her training plans ahead of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, UK, from September 4 to 14. Lovlina had requested permission to continue training abroad and to have her long-time coach, Pranamika Bora – part of India’s Olympic contingent for Paris 2024 – as her personal coach during the national camp in Patiala.
According to Lovlina, BFI’s High Performance Director, Malik, rejected her requests outright, even before they were formally reviewed by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) panel.
Malik has denied the allegations, calling the meeting “thoroughly professional.” He said the session, attended by officials from SAI and TOPS, was recorded and the footage was available for review.
“Lovlina is the pride of the nation, and we at BFI take immense pride in her achievements,” Malik said in a statement. “I categorically deny the allegations. The matters she raised were duly noted and addressed in line with BFI policies, which apply uniformly to all athletes.”
Acting on directives from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the IOA has formed a three-member inquiry committee comprising TOPS CEO Nachhatar Singh Johal, table tennis ace Sharath Kamal (vice-chairperson, IOA Athletes Commission), and a woman legal expert. The panel was instructed to submit its report within two weeks, but nearly a month later, the findings are yet to be made public.