Women’s Olympic flyweight bronze medallist M.C. Mary Kom said that lack of an effective Indian boxing federation has damaged the competitiveness of the sport and contributed to the decline of women’s participation in the sports. As no athletes is representing India in women’s boxing at this year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Kom said not enough was being done to promote the sport in the country.
Mary Kom
Mary Kom was quoted saying “There is no federation (in India)… there is no proper organized national (event) for the last two-three years. So no competition. If we have more competition every boxer will train regularly.” Kom is well known Indian woman boxer and even her life was pictures in which Priyanka Chopra depicted her life.
Kom, who won India’s first Olympic medal in women’s boxing in London four years ago, will not be able to represent India at the Rio Games as she needed to reach the semi-finals of the world championships but lost in the second round last month.
The five-time world champion’s only remaining hope of getting to the Olympics was through a wildcard but AIBA spokesman Nicolas Jomard said there would be no wildcards for boxing events in Rio.
