Rakesh Patra, former international gymnast, was appointed national artistic gymnastic team coach last year in July. He had accompanied the national men’s team at Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.
Sports Authority of India (SAI) has withdrawn the name of Rakesh Patra, former international gymnast, from empanelment under the Scheme of Assistance to NSF (National Sports Federation), according to a document with the Sportsbackstory.com. As per document, no specific reason has been mentioned in the communication to the GFI (Gymnastics Federation of India) of Patra’s exclusion from the SAI panel.
SAI has informed the GFI of the development. Patra was appointed national artistic coach with the men’s team last year in July. He accompanied the Indian team at last month’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The national team returned empty handed from Scotland.
“His empanelment as GFI Coach, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, for the assignment at SAI NCOE, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (CSN), stands withdrawn. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority,” SAI said in a communication to the GFI.
Since Patra has been sacked as national artistic men’s team, he will not accompany the Indian team for the upcoming FIG World Challenge Cup 2026 scheduled to be held from September 18 to 20 in Szombathely, Hungary.
Patra confirmed the development saying, he wasn’t invited by federation at the just concluded national selection trials for FIG World Challenge Cup held in Pune, Maharashtra, “I wasn’t invited by the GFI. I don’t know the reason,” Patra told Sportsbackstory.com over the phone from Bhubaneswar.
Patra has alleged GFI has singled him out for raising the issue of non- procurement of practice equipment for the upcoming training centre at SAI NCOE in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. “Since I was the coach of the centre, I should have been consulted by GFI when drawing out a list of equipment for the national training centre,” claims Patra.
Patra also alleges that GFI hasn’t paid his monthly salary (R 90,000) since March. “I have written to the federation but yet to get any response,” he told Sportsbackstory.com.
EOM
