MC Mary Kom will not be able to participate in the Rio Olympics 2016. This is indeed sad news for the all Indian fans.
International Olympics Committee have taken this decision on Wednesday. As India had eight or more boxers in the last two Olympic Games, Mary Kom cannot be given a wild card.
India had eight boxers in London Olympics alone, out of which, seven were men and Mary Kom was the only female boxer.
The All India Boxing Association (AIBA) ad-hoc committee chairman Kishen Narsi confirmed the news on Wednesday.
"It is the decision made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that nations which has not had more than eight boxers in the last two games will be granted the card. India had eight boxers in London itself with seven men and Mary Kom among the pugilists qualifying," Narsi was quoted as saying by TOI.
"It is the IOC ruling and we have to respect that. Sadly, our pride, Mary Kom will not be able to participate in the Olympics and we have to respect that."
However, India did try to get a triparte card for Rio Olympics 2016 so that Mary Kom can secure a berth in the forthcoming Games.
Four for the world championship medallists and two slots each from Asia-Oceania, America to Europe make it ten for the Rio Olympics. After this, there is one slot for Africa as well. India were trying to find a way to get that one slot over to them, so that Mary Kom could participate. But that did not work out.
The only place left for that 51kg category, in which Mary Kom competes, will be awarded to some other boxer now.
