Mary Kom steps down as Paris Olympics Chef-de-Mission

Six-time world champion boxer M C Mary Kom on Friday stepped down as India's chef-de-mission for the upcoming Paris Olympics, saying she is "left with no choice" due to some personal reasons.Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha announced that Mary Kom had asked to be relieved from her position in a letter addressed to her."I consider it an honour to serve my country in every way possible, and I was mentally prepared for it. However, I regret that I will not be able to uphold the prestigious responsibility and would like to resign, owing to personal reasons," the 41-year-old stated in a letter to Usha.
Kom was appointed as the chef-de-mission in March of this year by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) feeling that she was a natural choice to guide and mentor the athletes at the event in Paris. She was set to have luger Shiva Keshavan working as her deputy.Mary Kom's role as the chef-de-mission was to essentially be the head of the national team at the Olympic Games. Kom was supposed to serve as the team leader and representative, responsible for coordinating and managing all aspects of their country's participation in the Games.The chef-de-mission play a crucial role in ensuring that their country's athletes have the best possible environment to compete and succeed in the Olympics.PT Usha said that a replacement would be named after appropriate consultations.