The International Olympic Committee’s refusal to suspend their regulation will prevent Manny Pacquiao from competing at this year’s Paris Olympics. Pacquiao, who clocked 45 last December, had plans to box at the Summer Olympics for the first time in his career, but the Olympics’ regulation denying boxers over the age of 40 from competing means he would have to give up on that dream now. 

Pacquiao’s Olympic dream was supported by his country, and it was the Olympic body there in the Philippines that reached out to the IOC to see if Pacquiao could be allowed to enter the match despite being 5 years over the limit. 

One reason why Pacquiao had never competed at the Olympics before was due to their refusal to allow professional boxers into the tournament. But that changed in 2016. 

Eight years ago, Pacquiao had the opportunity to participate in the Olympics, after the Olympics began allowing professional boxers. But his position as a senator in the country at that time prevented him from doing so. Now, it seems he will never get that chance. 

Another option the Philippines Olympics’ body tried to use was to get a sort of pass, called a universality entry, that would have given free passes to their athletes without them having to compete for a spot. But that, too, was denied by the Olympics on the grounds that “universality places are not allocated to teams with an average of more than eight athletes in individual sports/disciplines at the last two editions of the Olympic Games.” 

The retired boxer and politician will now have to contend with the reality that he was never an Olympian once in his life, especially after an illustrious career that saw him break many records and become a champion in many divisions. His only feature at the Olympics was at Beijing 2008, where he was the flag bearer representing his country, making him the first non-participating Filipino athlete picked as the flag bearer.

Leon Osamor