Indian official issues clarification on status of Mary Kom's coach at London Olympics

Contrary to earlier reports, Indian boxing medal hope Mary Kom is not being barred from working with her coach in London. In a statement issued today, Brig PK Muralidharan Raja, Chef de Mission, Indian Contingent for London Olympics 2012 and Secretary General, Indian Amateur Boxing Federation, has given the following clarification:

“As per International Boxing Association (AIBA) Rules, only those coaches and trainers who are AIBA-approved and accredited are permitted to participate as coaches or seconds for boxers at the Olympics. Mr Charles Atkinson, who has been the coach of Mary Kom for the past six months, is a professional WBC Coach, and has trained Thai WBC Boxers in Thailand. AIBA does not permit any boxing coach who does not have an AIBA 3-Star certification to be a coach at the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games, etc. Hence Mr Charles Atkinson cannot be accredited as a coach of Mary Kom for the London Olympics as per AIBA Rules. Mr Anoop Kumar, who is an AIBA 3-star accredited coach, is presently with Mary Kom at Liverpool, and both of them will be joining the Olympic Games Village on 2nd August.

“As you are all aware, Mr Anoop Kumar, Chief Coach of the women’s boxing team, has been the mentor and trainer of Mary Kom right since she was picked up as a debutante in the Indian boxing team in 2001. Since then, under his tutelage, Mary Kom won laurels and accolades and has been crowned World Champion 5 times in AIBA World Women Boxing Championships from 2003 till 2009, at Barbados. Mary Kom also received the bronze medal in the 51 kg category at the Asian Games in Guangzhou under coach Anoop Kumar. In 2012, she won the Asian Championships at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia by defeating Ren Cancan of China comprehensively. In the AIBA World Championships of 2012, while she could not repeat the same performance in her new weight category of 51 kg, she still managed to qualify for the Londion Olympics.

“Towards the end of 2011, Olympic Gold Quest, who are also supporting Mary Kom, identified Mr Charles Atkinson as a suitable trainer for her, and with the help of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation and the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, arranged for the training of Mary Kom at Balewadi, Pune from March 2012 onwards. All expenses for hiring the coach Mr Charles Atkinson as well as support staff and training partners at Balewadi and presently at Liverpool are being fully funded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports under NSDF programme, thanks to the whole-hearted support of the Hon’ble Sports Minister Shri Ajay Maken.

“Mary Kom, who is presently ranked 4^th in the World in 51 kg, has her opening bout on 5th August against 5^th-ranked Karolina Anna Michalczuk, who was a bronze medalist at the AIBA World Women Boxing Championships at Qinhuangdao, China.”