Indian boxing champion Mary Kom is facing criticism online over a remark she made on Bigg Boss 20 while speaking to fellow contestant Qazi Touqeer . She spoke about her career and her own sporting record but that comment did not go down well with some viewers, who felt it came across as a comparison with other Indian women athletes. The exchange has since gone viral on social media, sparking a debate over whether Mary Kom’s words were simply pride in her achievements or an unnecessary dismissal of others.
Hosted by Salman Khan, Bigg Boss 20 which is currently airing on Colors TV and JioHotstar features a mix of names from the worlds of entertainment, sports and social media. During a conversation on the Salman Khan-hosted reality show, Qazi Touqeer was talking about Indian women who have made the country proud in sports. He mentioned tennis star Sania Mirza and badminton player Saina Nehwal, saying, “Hamare yahan sports mein kaun kaun ladki ne kamal kiya hai, Sania Mirza also did great, Sania Nehwal (Which girls have achieved greatness in sports here? Sania Mirza did a great job, as did Saina Nehwal). As the criticism grew online, Team Mary Kom stepped in with a clarification and apology from her official account. The statement read, “We apologise if Mary’s words were misunderstood. There was never any intention to demean or compare the journey with that of another athlete. Mary has immense respect for every athlete who represents India and gives their heart and soul to the sport. The season’s contestants include boxing champion Mary Kom, singer Qazi Touqeer, television actors Mahhi Vij, Kanika Mann and Isha Rikhi, Bhojpuri actor Aamrapali Dubey, actor Aasif Khan, singer Rhiti Tiwari, social media creator Arishfa Khan, gaming creator Tanmay Singh aka Scoutop, and actor-model Rohed Khan, among others.
Mary Kom, however, cut in before he could finish and said, “Lekin mere jaisa koi achieve nahi kiya (But no one achieved what I did),” pointing to her own achievements in boxing. The team said the boxer’s words were not meant to put down or compare her achievements with those of another athlete.
