Administrative mess demotivating boxers: Mary Kom

SHILLONG: Concerned about the administrative logjam in Indian boxing, Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom today said future seems dark for the country's pugilists, who are losing motivation to train.

India does not have a national federation after the International Boxing Association ( AIBA) terminated Boxing India last year. The sport is being administered by an ad-hoc committee.

The five-time world champion hoped the administrators would put their house in order before the much-anticipated Rio Olympics in August this year.

"Yes, they (the boxers) are all demotivated. There's no competition, so it's very frustrating. Whatever effort they're putting is of no use. They're being patient enough but the future is dark for them without any competition. If there's no National Championship, we won't have any new boxers that means no hope for future. Future will be dark," Mary Kom told PTI.

"For seniors at least this South Asian Games have come up and the qualification (Zonal Olympic qualifiers in Qian'an next month) is coming up. That's why we're trying hard. Or else it will just be reduced to 'time-pass'," she quipped.

However, Mary Kom strongly believed the sport won't die.

"It won't die but they're suffering. They will not go immediately change their game. Every athlete will be happy if the family is in order."

Asked whether she's upset, Mary Kom said: "Why should I? It's not my problem, I'm doing my duty to qualify for Olympics. Not getting exposure is not my problem."

Mary Kom has a new team provided by the Olympic Gold Quest in coach Chhote Lal Yadav, senior physiotherapist Poornima Raman Ngomdir and sports science expert Nikhil Late and she expressed confidence that she would qualify soon.