Heartbreak For India As Mary Kom Denied Wild Card For Rio Olympics

By siliconindia | Friday, 01 July 2016, 05:50 Hrs

BANGALORE: In a major disappointment for India, Kishen Narsi, the chairman of AIBA and the ad-hoc committee has confirmed on Thursday that that veteran pugilist M.C. Mary Kom has been denied to participate in the Rio Olympics as a wild card.

The Indian Olympic Association and the ad-hoc committee administering boxing in a last-ditch attempt to fetch Mary Kom a berth for Rio Olympics had sent a request for wild card a she could not make it through the qualifiers. After losing the second round of the World Championships, Mary Kom could not book an Olympic ticket. She was planning on retiring after a last appearance at the Olympics, but will be considering after a place in this Olympic has been denied.

“I have been duly informed that I won’t be getting the wild card for the Olympics. It is heartbreaking but it is something which I had no control over. I have to accept this decision but I am not quitting the sport right now. I will continue to compete till I am feeling fit and I think I am fit,” said Mary Kom as reported by The Hindu.

“I am aware that retirement is something that would be talked about a lot but for the time being I have dropped the idea. Of course I would be spending more time at my academy training young kids but I will continue to devote as much time to my training as well,” she said.

“I am not feeling good about how things have panned out but I am sure future is good for me,” she added.