Prajakta Sawant's 'malicious' plea devoid of merit: Gopichand

Chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand termed the petition filed by shuttler Prajakta Sawant as "false and malicious" in his affidavit submitted to the Bombay High Court here on Wednesday. In her petition, the 19-year-old Sawant, had alleged mental harassment by Gopichand after being refused entry to the all-India national coaching camp in Hyderabad.

However, Badminton Association of India (BAI) and Gopichand on Wednesday refuted Sawant's charge of favouritism towards certain badminton players during selection of national team and filed an affidavit in response to a Sawant's petition.

Sawant had also alleged that Gopichand, being the chief national coach and a member of the selection committee of BAI, promoted players from his own private academy Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy. "The contentions in Sawant's petition are false, malicious, vexatious and devoid of merit and should be dismissed," said Gopichand in his affidavit.

In its last hearing, the Bombay high court raised questions on if it was ethically correct for Gopichand to run a private training academy and observed that it was not in the best interest of justice. Responding to this, the BAI in its affidavit on Wednesday claimed that the job of the chief national coach in the selection committee is to only apprise other members about the fitness and performance of the players.

"It is mandatory requirement as per government guidelines that the chief national coach be a member of the selection committee. The selection is based on merit and performance and no partiality or bias is shown towards any player. The final selection is cleared by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports," the affidavit filed by BAI's general secretary Vijai Sinha said.

On allegations that Gopichand nursed a grudge against Sawant after she requested for her doubles and mixed doubles partners to be changed, the affidavit says, "Partners are chosen by the players themselves. The coach has no role to play in this. The petitioner was a very promising young prospect whom I was grooming since 2009. I bear no grudge or ill will towards her."

Meanwhile, claiming that he and his mother, a administrative member of PGBA, was being harassed by Sawant and her father, Gopichand said, "On several occasions, Sawant and her father had communicated with us making all sorts of wild and reckless allegations. Once Sawant even threatened to commit suicide. The court should look into this."

Sawant, a first year Bachelor of Commerce student, stated in her petition that she was selected for the training camp from October 4 to December 12. However, she contended that she had asked for her doubles and mixed doubles partners to be changed and Gopichand had hence, resented her. Gopichand, Sawant's petition mentioned, had informed her telephonically before the camp began that she will not be allowed to participate in the camp.