Mary Kom's team apologises after Bigg Boss 20 remark on women athletes sparks backlash: ‘Every medal matters’

Team Mary Kom stepped in with a clarification and apology from her official account and that her words were not meant to put down other women athletes.

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.

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. (JioHotstar.)

What happened on Bigg Boss 20

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)."

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.

Mary Kom’s record is, of course, exceptional. She is a six-time world champion, the first Indian woman boxer to win an Olympic medal and the only boxer in the world, male or female, to win six world titles. Still, her comment did not land well with many viewers, who felt it sounded less like a celebration of her own achievements and more like a comparison with other successful women athletes.

Social media users call out the remark

The exchange did not go down well with several viewers, and the clip quickly made its way across X and Instagram. Many felt Qazi was only trying to acknowledge some of India’s best-known women athletes, and that Mary Kom’s response unnecessarily turned the moment into a comparison of achievements.

Team Mary Kom responds

As the criticism grew online, Team Mary Kom stepped in with a clarification and apology from her official account. The team said the boxer’s words were not meant to put down or compare her achievements with those of another athlete. 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 team went on to underline that Mary respects the achievements of athletes across disciplines, adding,“Every journey is unique, every achievement matters, and every medal makes India proud.”

This is not the first controversy Mary Kom has faced this year. In February, she came under fire over remarks about her divorce from her former husband, including her statement that he made“ek rupiya bhi nahi kamaya”. She later shared an apology video, saying her comments had been taken out of context and that she had not intended to hurt anyone or make a sweeping statement.

About Bigg Boss 20

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. 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.