I have not resigned, will complete tenure: Mary Kom on reports of quitting IOA panel

New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association's athletes commission chairperson and boxing legend M C Mary Kom on Tuesday denied reports that she has resigned from her position, insisting that she has been misunderstood and will complete her tenure in the panel.

The 42-year-old Manipuri, who is also a 2012 Olympics bronze-winner, had travelled to Haldwani for the National Games closing ceremony last week where she expressed her displeasure over being lodged at an "inferior hotel".

Speaking to PTI, Mary Kom said her outburst has been misconstrued as resignation. "I have not resigned, I will complete my tenure (which ends in 2026)," she asserted.

"I was merely telling my fellow (athletes commission) members that if this kind of treatment happens again, I will consider resigning. I never said that I am resigning. IOA is my family and if I am unhappy over something, I have every right to express it.

"This does not mean that I am resigning," she went on. Mary Kom was elected to the panel in 2022 with table tennis stalwart A Sharath Kamal as vice-chairperson.

The commission also features two-time Olympic medal-winning shuttler PV Sindhu, former shot putter Om Prakash Karhana, Winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan, London Olympics bronze-winning shooter Gagan Narang, rower Bajrang Lal, fencer Bhavani Devi, former women's hockey captain Rani Rampal, and Tokyo Olympics silver-winning weightlifter Mirabai Chanu.

"I don't know why is it that every time I raise my voice for something, it is misunderstood like this? Lot of my fellow athletes speak their mind on so many issues, but nobody gets misunderstood," Mary Kom said.

"I was put up in a bad hotel when I went for the National Games closing ceremony despite the fact that a better hotel was available. If others could be accommodated, why not me? That was the only question I asked," she insisted.

"Next thing I know, people are saying I have resigned. Where is the resignation? Has anyone seen it?" she asked.

Asked if she has had a word with IOA President P T Usha on this matter, Mary Kom said, "I haven't been able to connect with her because my phone was misplaced. But I will speak to her, I have good communication with her."

One of the most decorated Indian athletes, Mary Kom has been on the athletes' forum of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the past and has a fairly good experience of the administrative side of sports.