MC Mary Kom has issued a clarification after the backlash that followed her comments on ex-husband Onler Kom during a TV show. Kom attributed her remarks to “years of suppressed pain, depression, feeling used, and betrayal” coming to the fore.
Sharing a video on Instagram, Mary Kom addressed the controversy over her marriage which, she says, took a turn for the worse following breakage of trust. The six-time world champion has alleged she was cheated of crores of rupees, had lost possession of land bought with her own earnings, which was eventually seized by underground groups.
A video then went viral on social media in which she claimed that, “To be honest, he (Onler) married me, and he got everything from my earning. He did not earn a single
rupee.”
“I want to clarify this: it is not that my marriage was never successful. Everything was fine for many years. But later, when the trust completely broke, things changed,” Mary Kom said. “Despite this, I want to clarify that even after my divorce, in April 2025, and even after a press release circulated against me, I did not give any statement publicly or to the media. I have always conducted myself with dignity and restraint,” she added.
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Mary Kom, a former Member of Rajya Sabha, said her comments were not wrongly interpreted and that she didn’t target any particular sport.
“My remark was taken in the wrong direction on social media, which is quite unfortunate. I am absolutely not against youth football, culture, or the football fraternity. I am a boxer, but I love football from the heart and I myself like playing football. My comment was not for any sport or players,” she said.
“Everyone starts from the streets, but only those who work hard, sweat, and remain determined till the end become people like Sunil Chhetri or Bhaichung. That is what we meant. My ex said that he sacrificed his football career. He used to play football in Shillong, but after leaving football, I met him later in Delhi,” she added.
Mary Kom apologised to the “wider male community” for hurting their sentiments.
“I sincerely apologise to all those people, especially the wider male community, who were hurt or disappointed by my comment on the Aap Ki Adalat show. My statement was never meant for all men, nor was it meant to demean or insult any individual. That comment was purely connected to our conflict and issues. That moment was emotionally overwhelming for me; years of suppressed pain, depression, feeling used, and betrayal surfaced all at once. I want to make it clear that the statement should not be seen as a teaching, ideology, or concept. I do not promote any kind of negative thought or narrative,” she concluded.
