The 2012 London Olympics medallist boxer Mary Kom, on Friday, stepped down from her role as the chef-de-mission of the Indian contingent for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, citing personal reasons.
The six-time world champion reportedly wrote a letter to the Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha asking to be excused from the role.
“I consider it an honour to serve my country in every way possible, and I was mentally prepared for it,” read Kom’s letter. “However, I regret that I will not be able to uphold the prestigious responsibility and would like to resign, owing to personal reasons.
“It is embarrassing to retreat from a commitment, which I seldom do, but I am left with no choice.”
Kom was named the chef-de-mission of the Indian contingent for the 2024 Paris Games last month with Winter Olympian Siva Keshavan as her deputy. Along with them, former rifle shooter-turned-coach Gagan Narang, a bronze medallist from the 2012 London Olympics, had been put in charge of India’s shooting contingent that will compete in Paris.
The Indian Olympic Association has accepted Kom’s resignation.
“We are sad that Olympic medal winning boxer and Chairperson of the IOA athletes commission Mary Kom has stepped down citing personal reasons,” Usha said in a statement. “We respect her decision and privacy.”
Kom had competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was knocked out in a dramatic fashion in the Round of 16. The 41-year-old pugilist, a six-time World Championships gold-medallist is ineligible to compete in Paris because Olympic boxing bars anyone above the age of 40 from competing.
