The Indian Olympic Association’s athletes commission chairperson and boxing legend M C Mary Kom on Tuesday denied reports that she has resigned from her position, insisting that she has been misunderstood and will complete her tenure in the panel. The 42-year-old Manipuri, who is also a 2012 Olympics bronze-winner, had travelled to Haldwani for the National Games closing ceremony last week where she expressed her displeasure over being lodged at an “inferior hotel”. Speaking to PTI, Mary Kom said her outburst has been misconstrued as resignation.

“I have not resigned, I will complete my tenure (which ends in 2026),” she asserted.

“I was merely telling my fellow (athletes commission) members that if this kind of treatment happens again, I will consider resigning. I never said that I am resigning. IOA is my family and if I am unhappy over something, I have every right to express it.

“This does not mean that I am resigning,” she went on.

Mary Kom was elected to the panel in 2022 with table tennis stalwart A Sharath Kamal as vice-chairperson.

The commission also features two-time Olympic medal-winning shuttler PV Sindhu, former shot putter Om Prakash Karhana, Winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan, London Olympics bronze-winning shooter Gagan Narang, rower Bajrang Lal, fencer Bhavani Devi, former women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal, and Tokyo Olympics silver-winning weightlifter Mirabai Chanu.

“I don’t know why is it that every time I raise my voice for something, it is misunderstood like this? Lot of my fellow athletes speak their mind on so many issues but nobody gets misunderstood,” Mary Kom said.

“I was put up in a bad hotel when I went for the National Games closing ceremony despite the fact that a better hotel was available. If others could be accommodated, why not me? That was the only question I asked,” she insisted.

“Next thing I know, people are saying I have resigned. Where is the resignation? Has anyone seen it?” she asked.

Asked if she has had a word with IOA President P T Usha on this matter, Mary Kom said, “I haven’t been able to connect with her because my phone was misplaced. But I will speak to her, I have good communication with her.” One of the most decorated Indian athletes, Mary Kom has been on the athletes forum of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the past and has a fairly good experience of the administrative side of sports.

Amit Panghal in action© X (Twitter)

File image of Laldinsanga© X (Twitter)

File image of Conor McGregor.© AFP

Tyson Fury insisted Oleksandr Usyk got an early Christmas gift from the judges after the Ukrainian won their heavyweight championship rematch overnight on Saturday. The “Gypsy King”, who was non-committal about his future, insisted he had won the fight that was scored 116-112 by all three officials in a unanimous decision. The 36-year-old Fury, unbeaten until he first met Usyk in their four-belt unification fight in May, departs Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena with two defeats on his record.

“Listen, it is what it is. I’m not going to cry over spilt milk, it’s happened now,” said Fury.

“I know boxing, I’ve been in it all my life — you can’t change no decisions. But I feel a little bit hard done by, actually a lot.”

He added: “There was a little bit of Christmas spirit in there. He got a little Christmas gift.”

Asked whether the public would see him fight again, Fury said: “You might do, you might not do. Who knows?”

Promoter Frank Warren also claimed victory for Fury, calling the decision “nuts”.

He said the boxer, who needed victory to trigger a trilogy fight, would need time to decide whether he will retire or return to the ring.

“That’s up to him. I mean, it’s just after a fight. Obviously emotions are running high. We’ll see,” Warren said.

“It is what it is, and we’ll have to see what happens in the future for Tyson. He’ll make up his mind.”

Usyk’s win takes him to 23-0 with 14 knockouts and extends one of the all-time best careers that includes Olympic gold and undisputed champion at cruiserweight.

“He’s a great fighter, it’s a great performance,” Usyk, 37, said of Fury, who was unbeaten over 35 fights until he lost their four-belt unification bout in May.

Oleksandr Usyk won his heavyweight championship rematch against Tyson Fury by unanimous decision overnight on Saturday to stay unbeaten across two divisions and cement his place among the greats. The Ukrainian, who forced the pace and repeatedly tagged Fury with his accurate left hook, was awarded the fight 116-112 by all three judges, handing Fury his second straight loss. Usyk’s win takes him to 23-0 with 14 knockouts and extends one of the all-time best careers that includes Olympic gold and undisputed champion at cruiserweight.

“He’s a great fighter, it’s a great performance,” Usyk, 37, said of Fury, who was unbeaten over 35 fights until he lost their four-belt unification bout in May.

“Unbelievable 24 rounds for my career.”

Only the WBA, WBO and WBC belts were on the line this time after Usyk, focused on the lucrative rematch, relinquished his IBF title rather than face challenger Daniel Dubois.

By beating Fury in May, “The Cat” had already joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as undisputed heavyweight, and the first of the four-belt era.

“He’s my best friend,” he said of Fury. “I respect this guy because I think he’s a really tough opponent. Tyson Fury makes me strong.”

‘Crazy man’

But the defeat opens up an uncertain future for the 36-year-old Fury, now 34-2-1, who announced his retirement in 2022 only to return to the ring.

“I thought I’ve won both fights, but then again I’ve got two losses on my record now, so there’s not much I can do about it,” said the Briton, who refused to discuss his next steps.

Promoter Frank Warren also called the judges’ decision “nuts”. But Usyk dismissed his complaints.

“Uncle Frank, I think is blind… crazy man,” joked the Ukrainian.

Fury, wearing a Santa-style red-and-white robe and bushy beard, appeared to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, before a determined-looking Usyk strode out in Cossack gear.

The 6ft 9ins (206cm) Briton’s jab held Usyk at bay early on and he landed a jarring right in round two. Usyk caught Fury flush with a left as he raised the pace in round three.

They went toe-to-toe in a punishing fifth round, with Fury pummelling body shots while Usyk launched a flurry to the head. In the sixth, he stung Fury with a clean hit to the nose.

The supremely fit Usyk, renowned for taking charge in the closing rounds, was the aggressor in the seventh, tagging Fury with a hook as the “Gypsy King” backed away.

Fury regained the initiative in the ninth, wielding his jab and one-two combinations and leaning on the Ukrainian, employing his career-heaviest 281lb (127.4kg) of weight.

It was see-saw stuff as they traded blows but Usyk rocked Fury in the 11th with a lightning combination that ended with yet another left hook to the face.

An Usyk uppercut to Fury’s chin highlighted a furious final round and there seemed little doubt about the winner as the Ukrainian sank to his knees, arms aloft.

Ancient sabre

Usyk, who briefly served as a soldier after the Russian invasion, then celebrated by holding up a sabre that belonged to Ivan Mazepa, a hero of Ukrainian nationalism who fought against Russian control in the early 1700s.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was quick to hail the victory, calling it proof that Ukraine “will not give up what’s ours” after nearly three years of war with Russia.

“Victory!” Zelensky said in a post on Telegram. “So important and so necessary for all of us now.”

Reports put the prize purse at an increased $190 million with Usyk, as defending champion, expected to receive the bigger share — a reversal of fortunes from May.

The fight sits high in the portfolio of Saudi Arabia’s oil-funded push into sports, which has drawn accusations of “sportswashing” its dubious human rights record.

After Formula One, the LIV Golf tour, Newcastle United and a swathe of ageing football stars, the conservative kingdom’s strategy confirmed its crowning moment this month when it was awarded football’s 2034 World Cup.

Representative image.© AFP

Taiwan sports chiefs said Wednesday that Olympic boxing champion Lin Yu-ting had pulled out of a competition in Britain after her gender eligibility was questioned but organisers countered that she was not entered in the event. Lin, who along with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was embroiled in a gender row at the Paris Olympics, was due to compete in the World Boxing Cup Finals in Sheffield starting Wednesday. The new competition is organised by World Boxing, which was founded in 2023 and boasts around 55 members, including Taiwan.

It was to be Lin’s first international competition since Paris, but she withdrew after World Boxing questioned her eligibility, Taiwan’s Sports Administration said in a statement.

“She is female, meets all eligibility criteria, and successfully participated in the women’s boxing event (in Paris), winning a gold medal,” the statement said.

“Unfortunately, as World Boxing is newly established and still navigating the development of its operational mechanisms, it lacks the clear regulatory policies of the IOC that ensure the protection of athletes’ rights,” it said, referring to the International Olympic Committee.

“Additionally, World Boxing’s medical committee has yet to establish robust confidentiality procedures to safeguard the medical information submitted by Taiwan regarding Lin Yu-ting.”

Lin, 28, had offered to undergo a “comprehensive medical examination locally” in Britain but World Boxing did not agree, the statement said.

To avoid further “harm” to Lin, her coach and Taiwanese sports officials “decided to withdraw from this event proactively”.

Lin had arrived in Britain a few days ago and pulled out of the event on Tuesday, Hsieh Chi-ying from the Sports Administration told AFP.

Safety first

But World Boxing said later Wednesday that its current eligibility policy does not prevent Lu from taking part in the World Boxing Cup.

“Selection decisions are made by national federations and the boxer was not entered in the event,” said a spokesman for the organisation.

The spokesman added: “At World Boxing we put boxers first and the safety of athletes is absolutely paramount.

“We have recognised for some time that gender clarity is an extremely complex issue with significant welfare concerns and our medical committee has a dedicated working group committed to examining every aspect of this area so that we can strengthen our policy.”

Lin and Khelif were thrown out of last year’s world championships — which were run by the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA)– but they were cleared by the IOC to compete in Paris.

The IBA’s Kremlin-linked president Umar Kremlev claimed in a chaotic press conference that the two women had undergone “genetic testing that show that these are men”.

The IOC leapt to the defence of both boxers, with president Thomas Bach saying they were born and raised as women, and have passports saying that. Neither is known to identify as transgender.

World Boxing is in talks with the IOC to take over running the sport at the Games after the damaging gender controversy.

Lin, who went on to win the gold in her women’s final, was dubbed “Taiwan’s daughter” by both local media and President Lai Ching-te.

Taiwan premier Cho Jung-tai said Wednesday that the government would “actively strive to protect and secure” Lin’s rights to take part in future international competitions.

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul in action© AFP

Mike Tyson in action© AFP