Nikhat Writes to Kiren Rijiju for "Fair Play" to Participate in Tokyo Olympic

New Delhi, October 17, 2019:

Nikhat Zareen has written to Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju asking for a fair opportunity after the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) indicated that there will be no trial between her and Mary Kom in the 51kg category for participating in the Tokyo Olympic.

Tokyo Olympic qualifiers will be held in Wuhan from February 3 to 14.

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Reportedly, the boxer had decided to speak to Rijiju after trying to contact BFI President Ajay Singh several times.

Nikhat also took to Twitter to post the letter and tweeted, “All I want is a fair chance. If I’m not given the opportunity to compete what am I training for. Sports is about Fair Play & I don’t want to lose faith in my country. Jai Hind.”

In the letter, she brought an example of how even Michael Phelps had to qualify every single time to participate in the Olympics. She added, “I have been inspired by Mary Kom since I was a teenager. The best way I can do justice to this inspiration was to strive to be as great a boxer as her. And Mary Kom is too big a legend in sport to need to hide from the competition and not actually defend her Olympic qualification.”

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"After all, if 23-time gold-medallist Michael Phelps had to re-qualify every time for the Olympics, the rest of us must do the same,” she added.

The boxer further added, “I am writing to you as a sportswoman trying to make her mark in sport and bring India glory on the international stage.”

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