IMPHAL, October 22: Olympic bronze medalist Mary Kom has charged the Mizoram press of misquoting her.
She said that Mizoram news reports mentioning her of alleging the Manipur media of being biased towards her is not factual and she did not said anything which would malign the image of the State media.
However, Mizoram based journalists when contacted by IFP stuck to their news reports and replied that Kom did indeed say that the Manipur media has discriminated her.
A Mizo woman freelancer even said, “Why don’t the Manipur media forgive her”.
It may be mentioned that the press conference held at Aijal Club yesterday was well attended by journalists and media reports in many papers have been uniform in publishing her statements which had implicated the State media. She had spoken in Mizo dialect at the said conference.
The pugilist broke into tears while clarifying her stance to mediapersons at a press conference held at Manipur Press Club this evening. She was joined by her personal secretary, also her husband at the mentioned press meet and they both denied the said reports.
She however owned up that she felt that the media was partial to Sarita, (another woman boxer) in some previous news reports.
Kom also met the officials and President of All Manipur Working Journalists Union and clarified her stance prior to the press conference.
She also denied the media reports which was deliberated by AMWJU members.
At the meeting, one AMWJU member also mentioned of receiving a text message yesterday from a Mizoram journalist friend saying that Mary Kom had come down hard on the Manipur media.
It may be mentioned that journalists who have been following her and highlighting her stories for the last decade had felt let down due to her allegation in the press conference held at Mizoram.
AMWJU President, A Mobi stated that the state media maintains neutrality in publishing reports and do not favor a particular organization, individual or community and maintains journalistic ethics. He told Kom that she is free to voice her inconveniences to the media elsewhere and here. Mobi also mentioned that it would have been a noble gesture to approach AMWJU first if she had any complaints against the State media as the matter would have been worked out together in a congenial manner.
Post the meeting and at a highly charged press conference, reporters also asked clarification from her regarding the Mizoram episode. Journalists also questioned her of what was lacking from the State media side so that the gaps if evident, would be addressed in future.
It was stated by the journalists, some who were clearly offended that her appeal to the State Government of demanding double promotion and every major bout she attended was given due coverage.
Some even mentioned that she is the only sportsperson who has been featured in the front page the most number of times rather than the sports backpage.
Kom could not clarify the questions from the journalists but swore and wept that she has been wrongly quoted by the Mizo scribes.