I Have Not Made Any Formal Announcement, Says Olympic Medallist MC Mary Kom Amid Retirement Rumours

The 41-year-old, who is already past the age eligibility to compete on the amateur circuit, said she still hasn't made any formal announcement of calling it quits.

"I haven't announced retirement yet and I have been misquoted. I will personally come in front of the media whenever I want to announce it. I have gone through some media reports stating that I have announced retirement and this is not true," the Manipuri flyweight (51kg) category boxer asserted in a statement to PTI.

Reports earlier quoted her as saying that due to the age cut-off of 40 years for amateur boxers, she has been forced to retire.

"I was attending a school event in Dibrugarh (Assam) on 24 January 2024 wherein I was motivating children and I said 'I still have the hunger to achieve in sports but the age limit in the Olympics doesn't allow me to participate though I can carry on with my sport'," she said.

"I am still focusing on my fitness and will inform everyone whenever I will announce retirement. Please do correct this," she added.

Mary Kom has not been seen in action since her pre-quarterfinal loss in the Tokyo Olympics, which was her last appearance at the quadrennial showpiece.

Her future has been intensely speculated since she has refrained from taking the professional plunge where there is no age bar.

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She is unarguably one of the most decorated Indian sportspersons of all time with six Asian titles and half a dozen world gold medals.

The mother of four is a Khel Ratna awardee and also served as a Rajya Sabha MP.

She was bestowed with the country's second-highest civilian award -- the Padma Vibhushan -- in 2020.