In the 124-year history of the Olympics, India has had its share of controversies. As Indian athletes represent the nation on a global stage, their behavior and actions are closely scrutinized, and any misconduct can tarnish the country’s image. From Mary Kom to Sushil Kumar, here’s a look at some of the controversies that have marked India’s Olympic history.
Mary Kom slammed IOC for ‘poor judges’
Mary Kom had criticized the International Olympic Committee’s Boxing Task Force in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics for “poor judging” in her flyweight (51kg) pre-quarterfinal, which she lost despite winning two of the three rounds.
The Task Force, which was overseeing the boxing competition in Tokyo after the International Boxing Association (AIBA) was suspended by the IOC for alleged mismanagement and financial misconduct.
Sushil Kumar spiking Narsingh Yadav’s food
Before the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sushil Kumar faced issues with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The WFI backed Narsingh Yadav, who had secured the quota spot, but Sushil demanded a selection trial. Narsingh subsequently failed a dope test, disqualifying him from competing in Rio. He accused a teenage wrestler from Chhatrasal Stadium of poisoning his food and filed a formal complaint against him. It was widely speculated that Narsingh held Sushil responsible for the incident, although he did not mention Sushil in the FIR.
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Fake reports of Mirabai Chanu winning gold at Tokyo Olympics
Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in the women’s 49kg weightlifting category at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, finishing second to China’s Zhihui Hou. Two days later, Indian media reported that Hou would undergo an anti-doping test, and if she failed, Mirabai Chanu would be awarded the gold medal.
On the same day, the Olympic news website Inside the Games refuted the widely circulated report in Indian media, labeling it as a “fabricated” story. The outlet indicated that both the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Testing Agency (ITA) had no knowledge of such a claim.
Mahesh Bhupathi threatens to skip 2012 Olympics
Despite being considered one of the greatest doubles tennis players of all time, Leander Paes faced significant challenges finding a partner at the 2012 London Olympics. Why? Because his former partner, Mahesh Bhupathi, with whom he became World No. 1 in men’s doubles and won four Slam titles, declined to play alongside him. The duo stopped playing together in 2006, and following the All India Tennis Association’s (AITA) decision to pair them up, Bhupathi threatened that he would rather skip the Olympics than play alongside Paes.
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