Boxing India threatens to keep AWOL Mary Kom out of Rio Olympics

Mary Kom wants to give her career a grand send off with a medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Problem is she might not make it to the games in Brazil at all. According to a report in the Telegraph, Boxing India and Mary are involved in a standoff because she has not reported for any Boxing India’s camps since she won Asian Games gold in 2014. The sports federation said it has even “lodged a protest” with the Manipur’s boxing association but still hasn’t been able to get Mary to attend any of the camps. [caption id=“attachment_2199292” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mary Kom has been missing from India’s boxing camps. Reuters[/caption] Jay Kawli, BI’s secretary, told the Telegraph that unless Mary turns up, she won’t be eligible for India’s Olympic qualifiers. “Every boxer is the same for BI. Mary Kom, being the senior-most, had been given special treatment in the past and was even allowed to skip the National Championship. But in this case, since there has not been any communication from her side, BI decided to exclude her name from the camp,” Jay Kawli, BI’s secretary told the Telegraph. Mary has had run-ins with the India’s boxing federation before. In an interview with Firstpost before the Asian Games, she claimed that she was a victim of politics against people from the North East and that’s why she was left off the 2014 Commonwealth Games squad in favour of her younger rival, Pinky Jangra, after their scores were tied at the end of their qualifying bout. “They are giving us the same points and when they announce the decision, referee says he favours a win for Pinky. What does that mean? It is all nonsense. All the judges, referees, full federation, they are playing this kind of politics.” The 32-year-old Mary said these injustices fuelled her desire to keep fighting. “That challenge is still giving me motivation. I will never stop. While these people are there, I will never stop fighting.” Mary will need to be careful, though. Pinky won the National Championship in the 48 to 51 kg category and if Mary continues to spar with Boxing India, India’s most successful fighter could find herself on the outside looking in.