Neeraj Chopra won India’s only gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.© AFP
Iconic Indian athlete Anju Bobby George questioned the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) decision to “not consider” ‘Golden Boy’ Neeraj Chopra as India’s flag bearer for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024. Earlier this month, ace table tennis player Sharath Kamal will be the Indian team’s flagbearer for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, while Olympic bronze medallist MC Mary Kom has been named as chef de mission for the Summer Games.
The Commonwealth and Asian Games medalist took to Instagram and questioned IOA’s decision to not consider Neeraj as flagbearer and wrote, “Surprisingly, the Indian Olympic Association did not consider our golden boy Neeraj Chopra as a flag bearer for the 2024 Olympic Games .. ????? ( All the federatins including Table tennis, yet to announce the team for Olympics) ?ultimately its Neeraj’s choice based on his own assessment of the situation.. still..why ???….@weareteamindia.”
The World No. 88 has won the national table tennis championship a record 10 times. He has won 13 medals at the CWG, including seven golds. He has also won two medals at the Asian Games. The legendary TT player is also a three-time bronze medalist at the World Championships.
Mary is the first female boxer in boxing history to have captured six world titles. The five-time Asian champion was the first female boxer from India to take home a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games.
The experienced pugilist won a bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games, leaving any record or title untouched. She introduced herself to the world at the age of 18 at the inaugural world meet in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
“We are delighted to have such a distinguished and capable team of officials leading our contingent for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Their expertise, dedication, and passion for sports will undoubtedly inspire our athletes to achieve their best and make the nation proud,” Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha said in an official statement, posted on X on Thursday.
Gagan Narang, a bronze medalist in the 10m air rifle event at the 2012 London Olympics, has been appointed to head the shooting village operations for the Paris Olympics. Shooting, which earned India its first individual Olympic medal in Beijing 2008, has not produced an Indian medalist since London 2012.
The Olympic Games will take place from July 26 to August 11.
Topics mentioned in this article
