Philippines seeks special consideration for Manny Pacquiao’s Olympic dream

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MANILA, Oct 10, (Agencies): The Philippines has formally requested the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow Manny Pacquiao to participate in boxing at the Paris Games, despite the former world champion surpassing the age limit, according to a Filipino official on Tuesday.

Manny Pacquiao, who is 44 years old, retired from professional boxing in 2021 to pursue a presidential campaign in the Philippines. The age limit for Olympic boxers is typically set at 40.

Abraham Tolentino, the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, confirmed that he had sent a letter to the IOC two weeks ago, specifically seeking a “universality place” for Pacquiao. Universality places are allocated to athletes from countries that face challenges in securing Olympic slots through conventional qualification procedures.

The IOC has designated nine universality places for boxing in the upcoming Paris Olympics, with five for women and four for men. The official confirmation of these slots is expected on June 7.

Tolentino emphasized that Pacquiao is in excellent physical condition and described him as an “icon of boxing” who could positively impact the sport’s image. He also assured that this “special request” for Pacquiao would not hinder the chances of other Filipino boxers qualifying for the Paris Olympics.

Pacquiao expressed his lifelong dream of winning an Olympic gold medal if given the opportunity to compete in Paris. Despite his age, he asserted that he is still fit and capable of taking on younger opponents, feeling as if he were “30 years old or 28 years old.”

Additionally, Pacquiao disclosed plans to participate in two exhibition matches in Japan and Thailand in the coming months.

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