India, March 2 -- Odisha's sports and youth services department suspended a 35-year-old swimmer, who was a 2008 Beijing Olympics participant and 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist, from his position as head coach at the High Performance Swimming Centre in Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium following allegations of physical and mental abuse by his students.

Sandeep Sejwal, head coach of JSW-IIS swimming programme, has been suspended till the departmental probe is over, director of sports promotion in the state sports department, Deepankar Mohapatra, said.

Sejwal could not be reached for comment.

A departmental inquiry is pending after a host of young swimmers accused him of physically and verbally abusing them over months, said Mohapatra.

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