Mary Kom steps down as boxing’s national observer

New Delhi, Dec 1 (UNI) Rajya Sabha MP and five-time World boxing champion Mary Kom has stepped down as the national observer for Indian boxing, after Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that active athletes are debarred from the position. “I resigned as national observer 10 days ago after having a word with Mr Rathore. I had been requested to take up the position, it was not something I had asked for,” Mary Kom said. “But at that time, I was told that I should nonetheless accept the position. I did so on request of the Ministry and I don’t want unnecessary controversies about something that I had not asked for.” It was then Sports Minister Vijay Goel who had appointed 12 national observers in March this year with Mary Kom among one of them. Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra, Two time Olympic-medallist Sushil Kumar and former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Akhil Kumar are among others. However, Sushil and Mary Kom are still active national campaigners. “I was never interested in this but accepted the position because I had been requested. I am happy to let it go and have no complaints,” said the five-time world boxing champion. UNI