NEW DELHI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Mary Kom, the Chef de Mission of the Indian delegation for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, resigned on Friday, citing personal reasons.
The boxing Olympic bronze medalist and six-time world champion wrote a letter to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P. T. Usha, asking to be excused from the role.
"I consider it an honor to serve my country in every way possible and I was mentally prepared for it. However, I regret that I will not be able to uphold the prestigious responsibility and would like to resign, owing to personal reasons. It is embarrassing to retreat from a commitment, which I seldom do, but I am left with no choice," Mary wrote in the letter.
Kom was named the Chef de Mission of India for the Paris Olympics on March 21, with winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan as her deputy.
The IOA has accepted Kom's resignation, and her replacement is expected to be named soon.
"We are sad that Olympic medal winning boxer and chairperson of the IOA Athletes Commission Mary Kom has stepped down citing personal reasons. We respect her decision and her privacy. I shall make appropriate consultations and soon make an announcement about the replacement for Mary Kom," Usha said in a statement. ■