Pinki Jangra backs Nikhat Zareen’s demand for fair trial

The boxer says Mary Kom should compete in a trial. “If she is a legend, then why is she not competing in trials?,” she says.

File Photo: Pinki Jangra...“We also want to represent India at the world stage but for that we need an opportunity first.”

Boxer Pinki Jangra has backed Nikhat Zareen’s demand for a fair trial for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Speaking to IANS , Pinki said, “On Thursday, I came to know that Mary Kom would not be competing in the trials and will be directly sent to the qualifiers. This is not right. The same thing happened before the World Championships. We had then also raised our concerns but we were told that rules are different for different tournaments and that trials would be conducted for qualifiers.”

Mary Kom has maintained that she would go by the decision taken by the federation, which had earlier stated that only gold and silver medallists from the World Championships would be directly selected for the Olympic qualifiers.

“What are we doing here? We have also come into the camp as national champions. I had defeated Mary Kom in the trials before 2014 Commonwealth Games. Then there’s no reason why I cannot defeat her again. I know she is a legend and I have huge respect for her. But if she is a legend, then why is she not competing in trials? We will feel satisfied if she defeats us and goes to the Qualifiers,” she said.

Opportunity needed

“We also have the same goal as qualifying for the Olympics just like Mary Kom. We also want to represent India at the world stage but for that we need an opportunity first,” she added.

Related | Mary Kom: 'I'm not scared to face Nikhat Zareen'

Pinki, the 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, revealed that she had demanded a clarification from her coaches as to why the rules were being changed. “If I don’t get a clarification, I will write to the BFI. If by Monday I don’t get a response, I will personally go and meet the BFI president,” she said.

Nikhat had written a letter to Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State of Youth Affairs & Sports, on Thursday, demanding she be given a trial bout against Mary Kom before the Indian squad for next year’s Olympic Qualifiers in China is decided. Rijiju, however, steered clear of the controversy, saying he can only ask the federation to decide what is best for the nation and athletes.