Tokyo Olympics: Boxing legend Mary Kom reveals she was asked to change jersey 'minute before bout'
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"I was ask to change my ring dress just a minute before my pre qtr bout can anyone explain," said Mary Kom,
India's boxing legend MC Mary Kom revealed that she was asked to change her ring dress just a minute before her quarter-final bout at Tokyo Olympics 2020. Taking to her official Twitter handle, Kom on Friday (July 30) wrote that she was surprised after the incident and appealed for an explanation. She even tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, current sports minister Anurag Thakur, former sports minister Kiren Rijiju, the International Olympics Committee also the official handle of Olympics.
On the jersey 'Mary Kom' was written but the organisers said only the first name is to be there; she was given a blank jersey, news agency ANI reported.
"Surprising..can anyone explain what will be a ring dress. I was ask to change my ring dress just a minute before my pre qtr bout can anyone explain. @PMOIndia @ianuragthakur @KirenRijiju @iocmedia @Olympics," wrote Mary Kom on Twitter.
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Surprising..can anyone explain what will be a ring dress. I was ask to change my ring dress just a minute before my pre qtr bout can anyone explain. @PMOIndia @ianuragthakur @KirenRijiju @iocmedia @Olympics pic.twitter.com/b3nwPXSdl1
— M C Mary Kom OLY (@MangteC) July 30, 2021
The six-time world champion Mary Kom was "upset" after losing in the women's 51kg round of 16 match against Ingrit Valencia of Colombia by a 3:2 split verdict at the Ryogoku Kokugikan arena. The loss resulted in rather a controversial ending of the 38-year-old Indian legend's career at the Olympics as she questioned authorities.
After losing the bout, in a telephonic interview with PTI, Mary Kom said "I thought I was winning the fight. Then I saw Kiren Rijiju's tweet on social media about my defeat, I was shocked and upset after that. I don't know what to say, I can't believe a decision like this was made."
"I don't know and understand this decision, what's wrong with the Task Force? What's wrong with the IOC?" she added.
She further questioned, "I was also a member of the Task Force. I was even giving them suggestions and supporting them in ensuring a clean competition. But what have they done with me?"