For Singh, it is a matter of choice, and one that has caused a small earthquake in his Indian homeland where the tremors still being felt after the nation’s favourite fighting son has sensationally decided to skip the Games and turn professional in Britain.

For the girls, so gallantly and brilliantly represented by the England team in the women’s World Cup, where they  reached the semi-finals only to be denied the possibility of further glory a heartrending last-minute own goal, it is a question of being brutally robbed of a deserved place in the sun by football’s pin-brained politicians.  

And for Rio, it is a case of Missing You Already.

First to India’s leading ringmaster, a national idol who brings a touch of Bollywood to boxing but caused widespread consternation by abandoning plans to compete in Rio.

Not just to Indian fans and the National Boxing Association but also to the International Boxing Association who were hoping he would be one one of their flagship Asian fighters for the next World Series of Boxing series, and thus an inspiration to others to resist to lure of large professional pay cheques.

But is is not to be. Now, if he really can fight as handsomely as he looks, then Singh is set to be as big a name in the UK as he is in his homeland.

The middleweight superstar, signed by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, is revered by a nation which has never staged professional boxing for an amateur career which has seen him medal at the Olympics (his bronze in Beijing was the first-ever for India in boxing), Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Championships.

However, Singh wasn’t quite on song in the London Olympics, only reaching the quarter-finals while his equally illustrious female counterpart Mary Kom, five times a world champion, took bronze after losing  to Britain’s golden girl Nicola Adams in the semis.

She has called on a disappointed Indian nation to respect his decision.

As in football, there has never been anyone of Indian descent who has made it big in the pro game. But it is hoped he will open up a whole new following from the huge Indian community in the UK.

A serving police officer now on extended leave, he’s 29, late-ish to be turning pro, but that’s barely middle age in boxing these days.

The train driver’s son from Bhiwani in northern India - when he married long-time girl friend Archana in 2011 he is said to have "broken a million hearts" - will now work with  Ricky Hatton’s former trainer Lee Beard in Manchester alongside a stable which includes Jack Catterall and Jamie Cox, and make his British TV debut on BoxNation in September.

Arrangements will be made to beam his progress in an initial six fight deal with Queensberry to a potentially massive audience on the sub-continent.

When asked if it was money that made him sign up with Queensberry he denied it. “Money isn’t the reason I am turning pro. I make decent amount through endorsements, TV, films as well as boxing. It’s a challenge and uncharted territory for me and I hope it opens new avenues for Indian boxers.”

He ‘s classily charismatic, rides Harley Davidson and has never made any bones about being a self-publicist. Little surprise then that he ended up with a role in a Bollywood film, and became a judge on reality show. Observers say Vijender has the persona and fan following of a rock star.

He has always had immense self-confidence, and while some critics say he has “turned his back” on the country, he simply replies that he has achieved as much as he could in amateur boxing: bronze in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, bronze in the 2009 World Championships, gold in the 2012 Guangzhou Asian Games, and silver in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

India’s national coach, Gurbax Singh Sandhu, says as a boxer Vijender is irreplaceable. “He will be missed as he is a great motivator and has a calming influence on his team mates.”

But his career has not been without controversy. Singh found himself in bother when his name was linked in a drug scandal in Punjab in 2013. Punjab Police claimed he had bought heroin for personal consumption from a drug dealer on 12 different occasions. His car was found outside the dealer’s house in Zirakpur.

But the National Anti-Doping Agency gave him a clean bill of health after he underwent a series of tests. Vijender’s integrity was questioned but he denied all allegations and came out apparently unscathed from the scandal.

His manager, Neerav Tomar, managing director and chief executive of IOS Sports & Entertainment tells insidethegames: “This is an historic moment for Indian boxing. He's a top fighter and is extremely motivated to train hard and perform. Vijender will be the flag bearer for a nation of over a billion people."

That’s quite something to live up to. But Vijender certainly looks and talks the part. We await his fistic debut here with fascination.

At the media conference to announce his arrival on the British scene I asked the lady from The Times of India just how big he was back home. ”As big as David Beckham was here,” she replied.

However, there will be no bending it like Beckham for Britain’s female footballers in Rio, or possibly even Tokyo 2020. much to the chagrin of the British Olympic Association and new Sports Minister Tracey Crouch.

British Olympic chiefs will campaign to bring back a GB team after England's historic achievements in Canada but that can’t happen for 2016 thanks to the intransigence of the Irish, Scotttish and Welsh FAs.

“It is absolutely our wish to have a football team competing for Team GB in 2020,” says BOA chief executive Bill Sweeney.

"We will therefore do everything possible to make this happen."

Good luck with that. Their hands are even though by finishing as one of the best three European teams at the World Cup, England women have already achieved the standard needed to secure a place for a Great Britain side to play in the Olympics next year.

The English FA were keen to take part along similar lines to the 2012 Games, but its plans have been scuppered by continuing  opposition from other Home Football Associations, who fear sending a team to Brazil would threaten their independence in the international game.

Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan says:  “The decision that was made surrounding London 2012 was a one-off as London was hosting the Olympics.

“There was never any plan to have a permanent British team and we made that very clear, as did the Welsh and Northern Irish.”

The BOA admit there was no chance of resurrecting plans for teams in 2016 as the deadlines for qualification have passed.

"Not having a women's, or indeed a men's, team as part of Team GB is a disappointing outcome particularly given the recent performances of the women's team," says Sweeney.

"It primarily impacts on athletes and fans and prevents British athletes from having the opportunity to compete at the world's largest multi-sport event."

Quite. The Scots, Welsh and Irish should be hanging their heads in shame in denying British sport such an opportunity.

Do they really believe that FIFA, an organisation squirming up to its grimy neck in a barrel of sleaze and corruption which threatens its very existence, now has the time and inclination to concern itself about Britain’s quota of places in World Cup, particularly at a time when women’s football needs encouragement around the globe?

No doubt this is something Crouch, who has a vested interest in the women’s game as a coach and is now back from watching the World Cup in Canada will wish to take up with the English FA.

Technically of course she carries no political clout with the other Home Nations who have their own Sports Ministers.

But if the cantankerous Celts won’t play ball then England’s FA should be prepared to be a bit bloody-minded themselves;  tell them to get stuffed and go it alone in 2020.